The North Pole Party (1909)

This map, published in 1909 by Arthur J. Saalfield, depicts the race to reach the North Pole.

At the beginning of the 20th century, two explorers claimed to have reached the North Pole by land, Frederick Cook in 1908 and Robert Peary in 1909. This map shows the round trip route described by both explorers upon their return.

The particular perspective presented by the map, with the North Pole exaggeratedly elevated, is related to the fact that it was published as a game. The game consisted of blindfolded players having to place the flag as close as possible to the North Pole or to both routes, and the winner would be the one who was closest to the routes and, in the event of being the same distance away, the one who was closest to the North Pole. All the flags available are American, as both explorers were of that nationality.

Both Cook's and Peary's expeditions were questioned from the outset, as the details provided did not match reality and the requirements of reaching the North Pole on foot. First, Cook's expedition was disproved, as he was famous for being a compulsive liar, and a few decades later, Peary's expedition was also disproved. In fact, the first person to reach the North Pole on foot without aerial transport did not do so until 1969, sixty years later, when the expedition led by Wally Herbert reached the North Pole.

Milhaud Maps

The North Pole Party (1909)

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