This is a fine advertising pocket map of Colorado published for the benefit of Dall de Weese, Canon City. Red overprinting on the map promotes the "De Weese Fruit Lands and Ranches in Fremont, Custer and Garfield Counties, " with a circle locating Canon City for the uninitiated. Along the bottom is more overprinting that refers to Canon City as "The Health Resort of Colorado." Verso contains an index with population for all cities and counties. Folds into red paper covers "Compliments of Dall de Weese." The back cover "Fruit Lands" carries further promotion with de Weese noting that he has reclaimed 3,000 acres of arid land, built ditches, fenced, graded streets, etc. spending $250,000 in the process. The map was published by the Kenyon Printing & Mfg. Co., Des Moines, Iowa. De Weese was a big game hunter of some note and well known for his compact hunting knife, which carried his name. A rare advertising map for which we find no past pricing or reference information.

After hunting moose on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula, De Weese became alarmed at the decrease in the animals he witnessed in just two years. He made his plea for game preservation in the form of hunting laws and game preserves, first to the newspaper in Sitka and eventually to the newly elected President Teddy Roosevelt. The Kenai Forest Reserve, created in 1909, specifically set aside designated game preserves to protect its wildlife. The Kenai Forest Reserve is today known as the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, a fitting tribute to the sportsman from Canon City.

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Condition: A

The map is mint less three small holes visible when held to the light, and a small area of loss along fold at right border. The cover has a little loss at lower right corner.