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Biggest & Best Greeting From Texas
This map, created by Beatrice West in 1946, is a satirical representation of the United States from a distinctly Texan perspective. The map humorously exaggerates the state's attributes and diminishes the significance of other states.
Texas is depicted in the center of the map with an oversized, red heart labeled “Biggest and Best Greetings from TEXAS,” highlighting the state's prideful stance. The rest of the states are portrayed with comically altered names and characteristics that play on stereotypes or notable features. For example, California is labeled “Dam Yankee Land,” indicating a Texan's view on the cultural differences between the West Coast and Texas.
Beyond the borders, Canada is humorously referred to as “Cananda,” and is described as “North Pole” with “Unexplored Territory” below it. To the south, Mexico is replaced with “Clean Mexico,” a jest on the state of cleanliness. The oceans are renamed to “Texas Ocean” and “Gulf of Texas,” further emphasizing Texas's perceived dominance.
Notable Texan features are highlighted, such as the “World’s Largest Oil Field,” the “World’s Largest Ranch,” and “World’s Finest Cattle,” showcasing the state’s economic pride points. The map is peppered with various other playful notations, such as “World’s Largest Grapefruit” and “World’s Greatest Air Training Centers,” signifying Texas’s contributions to agriculture and military training during that era.
Beatrice West’s map is a whimsical portrayal, ripe with state pride and humor, capturing a post-World War II Texan identity that confidently claims prominence within the United States and beyond. This artifact serves not just as a geographical representation but as a cultural and historical snapshot of mid-20th-century regional attitudes and the larger-than-life Texan self-image.
The map was later published in 1948 as a postcard.
Rarity
This is the first example we have ever seen.
