1949 Greyhound Pictorial Map of the United States

An appealing 1949 pictorial map of the United States drawn by M. E. Bush for Greyhound. It focuses on festivals, events, and parks served by Greyhound. Moreover, it reveals a country in transition from trains to automobiles, with interesting undercurrents of national self-realization.

A Closer Look

Events, festivals, and holiday celebrations are highlighted. Some of these are still well-known: the Orange Bowl, Tournament of Roses, Kentucky Derby, and Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Others appear to have fallen by the wayside, such as the Kamloops Trout Derby. An inset map at bottom-left charts Greyhound lines and cities served. The verso includes information on additional events and Greyhound offices throughout the country, while also extolling the benefits of company buses.

Carnival of the Confederacy

One especially curious event is the 'Carnival of the Confederacy,' a short-lived 4th of July celebration in Vicksburg, Mississippi in the early post-World War II period, commemorating not only American independence but also the Civil War siege of Vicksburg. Though essentially a celebration of American independence and a sign of heightened patriotism with the end of the World War II (1939 - 1945), the event's title provided a cover for wounded Southern pride more than 80 years after the siege. The 'Carnival of the Confederacy' celebrations were impressive, with leading politicians and military figures attending, including Dwight Eisenhower, who used the opportunity to speak about unity and reconciliation, both nationally and internationally. It is worth noting that Greyhound buses were segregated in southern states at this time (legally until the 1955 Supreme Court decision Sarah Keys v. Carolina Coach Company and the 1960 decision Boynton vs. Virginia). The company's buses were attacked by racist mobs during the 'Freedom Rides' of the early 1960s.

Native American References

Another interesting feature of the festivities depicted on the map is the representation of Native Americans. Celebrations of Native American culture (Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial, All-Indian Pow-Wow) and of the pioneers who displaced Native Americans (Days of '76, '89er Day) are both noted, reflecting an historical ambivalence or contradiction embedded within the 'Gay Days' of the American West.

Publication History and Census

This pictorial map was drawn by M.E. Bush, an artist about whom little is known but who produced other pictorial maps for Greyhound around this time. It was published in 1949. The only known institutional holdings of the map are with the University of Colorado Boulder and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.