Radio Map of the United States

This uncommon pocket map of the United States puts Des Moines front and center, situated in the middle of a series of concentric circles radiating in 250-mile increments. The Iowa capital was home to the headquarters of the Bankers’ Life Company and The Kenyon Company, the primary sponsor and creator of the piece, respectively. Both firms were looking to expand their nationwide market during the Roaring 20s and hoped to do so by associating with the popular hobby of amateur radio transmission. The map outlines the time zones and radio districts (nine in total) from coast to coast. Dozens of major stations are pinpointed nationwide, with the greatest concentration (unsurprisingly) in the Great Plains/Midwest. A myriad of place names are crammed throughout the image – allowing the user to connect to fellow ‘hams’ in towns large and small. The sheet is affixed to a personal radio log, diligently filled out in a juvenile hand by a previous owner named Godfrey Miller.