1922 The Burlington Presents Tourist Colorado | America’s Grandest Mountain Playground
DESCRIPTION
By: Poole Brothers
Date: 1922 (dated) Chicago
Dimensions: 40 x 18 inches
This richly illustrated panoramic map, of the Colorado front range was produced to promote Colorado tourism via the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad. The map presents a stunning bird’s-eye view of the central Colorado Rockies, designed to entice travelers by showcasing the region's dramatic landscape, accessible mountain towns, and scenic rail routes. Rendered in vibrant watercolor tones and dynamic topographical perspective, it captures the grandeur of the state’s mountainous terrain in a way that is both artistic and geographically informative.
Stretching from the Denver area at the bottom center to the Continental Divide and beyond, the map emphasizes popular destinations and railroad connections throughout the region. Key towns such as Boulder, Golden, Idaho Springs, Estes Park, Leadville, and Colorado Springs are clearly labeled, while prominent mountain peaks like Longs Peak, Mount Evans, and Pikes Peak rise boldly in textured hues of purple, blue, and white.
Rail lines and roads wind through valleys and canyons, demonstrating how accessible this alpine playground had become to mid-century tourists. Rocky Mountain National Park dominates the upper portion of the image, conveying a sense of pristine wilderness waiting to be explored. The verso provides several photographic images of tourist destinations throughout Colorado as well as practical information on how to get there by railway and early automobile trails.
Published in the early 1920s by the Poole Brothers for the Burlington Route’s publicity department, this map is part of a broader tradition of promotional rail maps that emphasized adventure, scenery, and comfort. It speaks to a time when passenger railroads played a crucial role in shaping American leisure travel, particularly in the West. The work is a visual celebration of Colorado’s alpine splendor and an invitation to explore “America’s grandest mountain playground” by rail.
Note: This map can be sent folded as issued, rolled in a tube with archival tape securing separations along some of the fold intersections, or linen backed for an additional charge of $100.
Condition: Map is in very fine condition, folded as issued but lays mostly flat with some separations along fold intersections which is very common for these maps.
CONDITION
1200 W. 35th Street #425 Chicago, IL 60609 | P: (312) 496 - 3622