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Description

This is a map of Chicago showcasing the city during the 1934 World's Fair, produced by one of the most upscale and historically important hotels of the city. The recto is an attractively designed pictorial map, showing important buildings and places of interest, with the city portrayed from the west. The verso shows twelve pictures and sketches from around the fair and includes text describing their importance.

The map shows downtown Chicago from the canal to the edge of Lake Michigan ("The Loop"). The Financial Center, Financial Building, Theatre District, and Grant Park are all labeled. Shown pictorially are the Wrigley Building, the Federal Building, the Opera Building, and, of course, the Palmer House. A compass rose, decorative cartouche, and the directions from the Palmer House to the World's Fair are included as well.

This World's Fair was officially named the Century of Progress International Exposition, celebrating Chicago's centennial and running from 1933 to 1934. The main focus of the exhibition was industry progress, with many technological innovations being showcased. For example, the stadium lights on the opening night were powered by external amplification of the light from the star Arcturus, a feat that greatly impressed fairgoers at the time. This focus on progress, scientific and industrial, is clearly visible on this map, especially as it relates to progress made since the previous 1893 Chicago World's Fair. On the verso, we see that an entire General Motors factory has been transplanted to the fairgrounds, so visitors can watch car assemblies as they occur. Chrysler Motors also had an automobile testing ground at the fair, as did many other companies.  Another picture shows the Hall of Science, an exhibition where universities from all over the country showcased their latest innovations and discoveries.

The wealthiest visitors to this fair may have stayed at the Palmer House, a grand hotel situated near Grant Park. The hotel had three states, the "First," "Second," and "Third" Palmer Houses. The first state only lasted thirteen days before being burnt down by the Great Fire of Chicago but was immediately rebuilt using reportedly the then-largest individual loan ever secured, 1.7 million dollars. This state of the hotel received widespread fame, hosting some of the most important figures of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The hotel was rebuilt in 1925 to accommodate growing demand, and it would have been this third state that fairgoers might have stayed at. Arguably, this is the "Chicago hotel the world knows best."

Rarity

This is the first time we have handled the map.

This is an overprint variant with the route to the World's Fair shown (and with the verso illustrations). We are aware of other examples of the map without that route illustrated. 

Condition Description
Fold damage repaired using tape on verso.