1981 Archar 'City Character Print' Pictorial View of Salt Lake City, Utah

This is a 1981 Archar Inc. 'City Character Print' pictorial map of Salt Lake City, Utah, playfully promoting the city's history, identity, and businesses.

A Closer Look

Downtown Salt Lake City appears just left of center. The Mormon Temple is immediately identifiable, although overshadowed by an office building just behind it. The Salt Palace, home of the NBA's Utah Jazz, is just to the right and a little below the Temple. The State Capitol appears to the left, a little above the Temple, and the Great Salt Lake occupies part of the left border. Colleges are identified, including the University of Utah, Weber State College, and the Utah Technical College, all of which emphasize the quality of their bookstores. Local restaurants and shops appear, as do Salt Lake City residents who inform on the city's history and customs. Brigham Young's farm appears in the background, not far from Park City, which promotes the area's legendary ski slopes. A portrait of Brigham Young talking with followers appears front and center.

City Character Prints

City Character Prints were a series of comical city views issued between 1972 and 1983. The views combine cartographic perspective with exaggerated illustrations of important landmarks, historical sites, and 'typical' people engaged in 'typical' activities. The views were produced by different artists, with, as far as we can tell, every artist having produced only one. Some are unattributed. Cities covered include New Orleans, St. Louis, Birmingham, New York, Syracuse, Philadelphia, Dallas, Buffalo, Chicago, Austin, Washington D.C., Miami, and Phoenix, among others. Most bear the Canadian imprint of Archar Inc., Ontario. Many were later licensed as puzzles. We even note a map of Singapore, dating to 1990, that uses the term 'City Character Print', and while mimicking the style and produced by a Canadian artist, it may or may not be related. The style inspired a whole genre of copycat works of perseverant popularity.

Publication History and Census

This map was produced and published by Archar Inc. in 1981. We note a single cataloged example, located at Brigham Young University.