Wonderful World of Ohio Map Part 1

In honor of the Ohio State Fair, which is currently underway in Columbus, here's an vintage Ohio travel map. (Click on it for a larger view.) I'm sure many of you reading this blog had an identical copy in the glove compartment of the family car back in the 1960's.

I remember this brochure because of the distinctive, colorful typography on the front, as well as the great illustrations inside. (More on this later.) That's why when I saw it at Suite Lorain, an antique shop on Lorain Avenue in Cleveland, I just had to buy it.

Being a graphic designer myself, I love to look at classic travel brochures that utilized illustrations rather than just photography all the time. Nowadays, something like this would be put together with clip art or stock illustrations. And certainly there wouldn't be any custom drawn typography.

Anyway, this brochure came along with another brochure in a little bag that actually was a litter bag that you were supposed to hang on your cigarette lighter. It's funny, but I don't think any of us are going to be hanging anything on cigarette lighters in our cars anymore!

Here's what the front and back of the litter bag carrying case looks like.

The back of the litter bag is hilarious. First of all, the family is a collection of grotesques. Mom, with a huge potato nose is chucking some litter right above the car. Dad, looking like a retired prize fighter with his cauliflower ears, has one hand on the wheel while his other hand drops some garbage out the window. And Junior (guess he must have been adopted, since he looks normal) wears a striped shirt (like Linus from Peanuts) as he tosses an unfinished ice cream cone straight up.

The style of the cartoon is in stark contrast to the style employed on the inside of the map. And what does that look like? Tune in here next time to see!