1930 George F. Cram Road Map of Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts

MarthasVineyardRoad-cram-1930
$300.00
Road Map of Martha's Vineyard Island, Massachusetts. - Main View
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1930 George F. Cram Road Map of Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts

MarthasVineyardRoad-cram-1930

'Isle of Dreams - Pleasure Center.'
$300.00

Title


Road Map of Martha's Vineyard Island, Massachusetts.
  1930 (undated)     8 x 10.75 in (20.32 x 27.305 cm)     1 : 190080

Description


This is a c. 1930 George F. Cram road map of Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts.
A Closer Look
The map identifies attractions around the island and provides a business directory on the verso. Golf courses, farms, parks, and even the Vineyard Haven and Edgartown yacht clubs are labeled. Popular fishing locations are listed to the left and right of the map, with locations on the left not requiring a license and those on the right requiring one. A Martha's Vineyard business directory occupies half the verso and lists restaurants, hotels, florists, body shops, and the island's only photographer (which is still operated by the same family, but now in Edgartown).
Martha's Vineyard as a Resort Destination
In the 1930s, Martha’s Vineyard began to solidify its reputation as a picturesque summer destination, attracting tourists with its charming New England villages, beautiful beaches, and serene landscapes. The island’s appeal was particularly strong among the affluent, who sought a peaceful retreat from the bustle of city life. This decade saw the growth of tourism infrastructure, with more guesthouses, inns, and leisure activities catering to visitors. The Great Depression did impact travel for many Americans, but Martha’s Vineyard remained a popular getaway, especially for those in the Northeast who could afford it. The island’s quaint character, combined with its exclusivity, helped it develop the enduring image of a quiet, upscale vacation spot that continues to this day.
Publication History and Census
This map was created and published by the George F. Cram Company c. 1930. This is the only known cataloged example.

Cartographer


George Franklin Cram (May 20, 1842 - 1928) was an American map publisher active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. During the American Civil War, Cram served as a staff cartographer for the Union General Ulysses S. Grant and participated in Sherman's 'March to the Sea'. In 1867, after being discharged from the army, George Cram moved to Chicago, where he founded 'Blanchard and Cram' with his uncle Rufus Blanchard Evanston. Blanchard and Cram was a supply house for the book trade - though they also published a few maps during this period. This short lived business was destroyed in the 1871 by the Great Chicago Fire. After the fire, recognizing a business opportunity in the burgeoning railroad industry, Cram reinvented himself as cartographic publisher, opening the Cram Map Depot. Like fellow Chicago publisher Rand McNally, Cram took advantage of the economical wax engraving processes to inexpensively produce maps in vast quantities. His signature publication, the Unrivaled Atlas of the World became the world's best-selling atlas and was published from the 1880s to 1952. On retiring in 1921, Cram sold his company to Edward A. Peterson of the National Map Company (Scarborough Company). Peterson moved the company to Indianapolis where, following Cram's death, he rebranded the National Map Company as the George F. Cram Company, surely thinking to capitalize on the established identity of the firm. In 1930 he entered the globe market for which the firm was best known from the mid-20th century. In time the firm expanded globally passing becoming a major concern. Loren B. Douthit became company president in 1968 and the Douthit family ran the business until Herff Jones, Inc., bought the company in 2005. More by this mapmaker...

Condition


Very good. Light wear along original fold lines. Manuscript pen on verso.