1927 Hornung Pictorial Map of the Bermuda Islands

This is a rare c. 1927 Clarence Hornung pictorial tourist map of the Bermuda Islands. Geared towards tourists and highlighting the islands' leisure attractions, it reflects the changing economy of Bermuda.

A Closer Look

This is a tourist map,. The pictorial vignettes mark the numerous hotels and other attractions important to fair-weather tourists, such as golf courses and beaches. The racetrack and causeway are also illustrated, as are St. Catherine Point and Murray's Anchorage on St. George Island. Inset maps along the top border detail the towns of Hamilton and St. George, with notable sites numbered, corresponding to a key on the verso. The map's original owner has traced the route of their bike ride in red pencil.

A Changing Economy

In the 1920s-1930s, Bermuda's economy underwent important changes, shifting away from agriculture and towards tourism. It also was a major conduit for evading Prohibition in the United States. These changes bound the islands closer to the U.S., which helps explain the currency conversion tables on the verso.

Publication History and Census

Though it lacks an attribution, this map was very likely drawn by Clarence Pearson Hornung and published c. 1927 (as it lacks the Bermuda Railway, it must date to before 1931). It was issued as a promotional pamphlet from Trimingham Brothers, a long-established department store in Hamilton that closed in 2005. We are unable to locate this map in any institutional collections and it is scarce to the market.