1964 Dudley Chase Pictorial Map of Massachusetts (1964 World's Fair Issue)

One of Ernest Dudley Chase's less common pictorial maps, this map of Massachusetts was created for the Massachusetts Pavilion at the 1964 New York World's Fair. Charmingly illustrated with eye-catching color, the map highlights the sightseeing opportunities of the Bay State. Historic buildings throughout are illustrated in profile and in the vignettes that frame the map. Historic ships, such as the Mayflower and Old Ironsides, ply the waters off the Massachusetts coast. An inset along the bottom border illustrates routes to tempt travelers into a side trip to Massachusetts after visiting the World's Fair, highlighting Boston, Plymouth, and in particular the New Bedford Whaling Museum, which had lent a 175-foot section of the famous 1,295-foot-long Whaling Panorama to the New England Pavilion restaurant. Numerous vignettes highlight activities available to the visitor, such as fishing, golfing, horseback riding, and boating. Historic sites from around the state, including Springfield Armory, Faneuil Hall in Boston, and the Bunker Hill Monument in Charlestown are noted for the less sporty tourist.

Massachusetts and the 1964 World's Fair

At the 1964 World's Fair, the six New England states – Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut - collaborated on a pavilion. Each state had its own exhibition space, known as the 'Court of States'. The pavilion also featured a 'village green' where groups from different New England communities held dances, musical performances, and fashion shows. New England-made products were sold to fairgoers at the Country Store, and a restaurant served typical dishes.

Publication History and Census

This map was created by Ernest Dudley Chase for distribution at the Massachusetts pavilion during the 1964 New York World's Fair. There are at least two known editions of this map. The present edition and another that includes an inset map of the greater Boston area. This special edition for the New York World's Fair is scarce, as we have been able to locate only one other known example, in the collection of the Norman B. Leventhal Map Center at the Boston Public Library.