Playful vintage pictorial map of Oklahoma City, with the state capitol at the center, and many businesses illustrated and named.
This promotional map and broadsheet from Oklahoma City presents a colorful, stylized view of the city's layout, featuring landmarks, attractions, and local businesses. The map highlights areas such as Lake Hefner, the State Capitol, and major streets like Broadway Extension and Northwest Expressway, with whimsical illustrations representing the city's heritage, from cowboys to oil rigs.
Key attractions, such as Frontier City, The Haunted House, and Stockyards City, are prominently displayed, alongside popular restaurants like Shakey's Pizza and Denny's. The map integrates visual elements typical of travel maps of the era, featuring icons for hotels, banks, and entertainment venues. Notable businesses and landmarks are drawn with cartoon-like characters or exaggerated features to create a fun, engaging presentation.
The reverse side serves as an advertising directory for local businesses, featuring a variety of restaurants, hotels, entertainment spots, and services. Prominent establishments like the Skirvin Plaza Hotel, Ramada Inns, Penn Square Bank, and The Great American Railroad Co. offer detailed listings. There's also a collection of promotional materials and deals from places like Chez Vernon, Brigadoon Supercar Wash, and Sleepy Hollow.
This broadsheet reflects both a vibrant tourism effort and a community-oriented approach to promoting local businesses in 1977, aiming to provide travelers with a visual and informative guide to Oklahoma City's amenities and attractions.
The map was funded with advertisements by local businesses, and where spots could not be sold, fun (though sometimes not-PC) cartoons fill the spaces.