Columbus O

I love this map dearly and could have sworn I already put it on this blog but I can't find any record of it.

The audacity of it all! A world centered on a giant "Columbus, O."

In one sense this is just simply a type of polar azimuthal projection map centered on Columbus. Perhaps the uncredited publishers in 1902 did not have any more an imperial intent than that. I prefer to think this as some good old over the top boosterism. I like the very oversized Scioto River and the bold language of the title.

Though coal fields and gas fields are prominent in the title, they are a little subdued on the map.

Also, the 70 mile radius seems wrong until you realize that each blue circle is another mile and notice how much they bunch up at the edges, where the towns are maybe a bit less "tributary" to Columbus.

The inner city detail is nice too.

There do not appear to be any additional details about who made this unusual map and for what purpose, but it's fun to explore and you can do that here