Produced by prolific American cartographer and illustrator Harvey Boardman in 1858, this depiction of the White Mountains of New Hampshire was created to entice tourists to the famed mountains from Boston, New York, and Montreal. With the iconic Mount Washington peak being the highest in the Northeast, these mountains drew hundreds of artists there to paint them in the 19th century and was the setting for noted American author Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story The Great Carbuncle. Many of the early maps were produced to attract tourists, and the region has long relied on tourism as an economic driver. Depicting roads, carriageways, and local hotels, these maps served as enticements for tourists and noted topographical details as well. Famed for its ski resorts, the White Mountains are home to some of the best slopes in the United States. The conclusion of the famous Appalachian trail starts in the southern portion to the mountains and marks the change from a relatively flat through-hike to more rugged and steep terrain. The trail is one of the longest through hikes in the world and attracts thousands of hikers annually. When combined with unpredictable weather, the highest peaks in the Presidential Range create some of the harshest climates for mountaineering and are used as training grounds for expeditions preparing for K2 and Mount Everest. The Mount Washington Cog Railway is the nation’s first mountain ascending cog railway and is still in operation today. An authentic piece of cartographical history, the distinctive aesthetic transports the viewer back in time.
