1940 Lacher Pictorial Tourist Map of Central Minnesota - 'The Spotlight Region'

This is a c. 1940 Lacher pictorial tourist map of central Minnesota that promotes 'the Minnesota Spotlight Region'.

A Closer Look

Depicting from Detroit Lakes to Delano, numerous lakes are illustrated and labeled throughout. The map highlights an intriguing range of sites apart from the towns and villages, including state parks, the Kensington Runestone, and pre-historic remains, along with the state asylum and reformatory. A vignette of a family from St. Louis coming to vacation in the area appears just above the reformatory. An 'inset map' of Minnesota occupies the lower right and a fisherman 'spotlights' the region in question.

The Minnesota Spotlight Lake Region

Created by the Minnesota Spotlight Region Association c. 1938, the Minnesota Spotlight region was a tourist destination in Minnesota. According to an article in the June 9, 1940, edition of the Minneapolis Star:

Minnesota's Spotlight lake region is bounded roughly by Litchfield and Willmar on the south, Glenwood, Alexandria, Battle Lake, Fergus Falls on the west and north by Detroit Lakes and Perham. Over 3,000 lakes and hundreds of resorts are in this area. It appeals to the complete family group, offering every variety of recreation.

Publication History and Census

This map was drawn by an artist known only as Lacher and published c. 1940. We note a single cataloged example of a map matching this title in OCLC which is part of the collection at the Minnesota Historical Society.