Titled “United Airlines Our Little Corner of the World. Oahu Hawaii.,” this exuberant 1978 pictorial by Kim Forrest distills the island’s irresistible allure into a single, joyously illustrated tableau. Created as a promotional map for United Airlines, it channels the bright optimism of the jet age, inviting travelers into a saturated world of beaches, palms, and playful iconography. Forrest’s hand animates Oahu with vignettes that fuse entertainment and orientation: swimmers and surfers dot the coastline, while icons of heritage and scenery anchor the interior. The palette is punchy and sunlit, the compositions lively without losing clarity, and every flourish aims to kindle the 1970s spirit of discovery. It is at once a guide, a daydream, and a snapshot of American leisure culture at full stride.

Geography becomes theater across the island’s familiar silhouette. Honolulu and the shining crescent of Waikiki receive star billing, their shoreline backed by the volcanic ramparts of Diamond Head, rendered as a beacon to both sightseers and sailors. Pearl Harbor is marked with sober prominence, an anchorage of memory amid the map’s buoyant tone. The Ko‘olau Range rises in green serrations, steering trade winds toward the windward towns of Kaneohe and Kailua, whose bays and beaches are sketched as ribbons of turquoise. To the west, Kapolei and Waipahu are called out as leeward communities, while Mililani Town parks itself inland, a marker of Oahu’s growing heartland. Roads arc like ribbons between coves, harbors, and headlands, translating distance into possibility.

Forrest’s scenes revel in the island’s living culture. Hula dancers sway beside surfers carving stylized swells; outrigger canoes skim the nearshore; snorkelers drift over cartoon-bright reefs; and a humpback whale breaches along the winter horizon. Local buses trundle between neighborhoods while a jaunty airplane cruises the sky—an affectionate nod to the carrier that commissioned the work. Native flora and fauna—plumeria garlands, hibiscus blooms, palms, seabirds, and sea turtles—pepper the composition, stitching nature into every journey. Historical touchstones and everyday pleasures coexist: the quiet silhouette of memorial waters at Pearl Harbor, the festive sparkle of Waikiki’s strand, sailing catamarans on the open blue. The effect is a kinetic itinerary, where every margin promises another story.

Kim Forrest’s cartography-illustration hybrid reflects a designer attuned to both wayfinding and wonder. The map employs buoyant, mid-century pictorial conventions—vignettes in gentle isometric, witty scale shifts, and generous white space—so icons never overwhelm the coastline’s logic. Type nestles among images with editorial finesse, guiding the eye from district to district while preserving the island’s recognizable frame. As a United Airlines commission, it sits squarely in the golden age of travel graphics, when airlines sold destinations as lifestyles, not just routes. Forrest’s gift is synthesis: touristic fantasy tempered by geographic truth, a composition that feels breezy yet reads cleanly, and a chromatic verve that still hums with the 1970s’ sunlit confidence.

Beyond its visual charm, this map is a document of its moment—when Oahu was a gateway dream for mainland travelers and airline ephemera shaped how the world imagined paradise. It captures the sweep of the era’s marketing—leisurely, inclusive, and irresistibly pictorial—while preserving the island’s anchors: Waikiki’s beaches, Diamond Head’s watchful cone, the solemn harbor, and the constellation of communities from Honolulu to Kailua, Waipahu, Kaneohe, Mililani Town, and Kapolei. Collectors prize such works for their rare balance of narrative and navigation. Displayed, it radiates nostalgia without sentimentality, a cheerful, authoritative chorus of color and memory that keeps the traveler’s promise alive.

Cities and towns on this map

• Honolulu (most populous)
• Kailua
• Waipahu
• Kaneohe
• Mililani Town
• Kapolei

Notable Features & Landmarks

• Illustrations of famous beaches, such as Waikiki
• Depictions of local wildlife and cultural icons, including hula dancers and surfers
• Prominent landmarks like Diamond Head and Pearl Harbor
• Various recreational activities such as snorkeling, whale watching, and sailing
• Uniquely illustrated transportation methods, including an airplane and local buses
• Representations of local flora and fauna throughout the island

Historical and design context

• Title: United Airlines Our Little Corner of the World. Oahu Hawaii.
• Mapmaker: Kim Forrest
• Year Created: 1978
• Type: County or State Thematic and Pictorial map
• Purpose: Issued as a promotional item for United Airlines
• Style and Design: A lively pictorial map with whimsical imagery of tourist destinations, native scenes, and points of interest across Oahu
• Themes: Tourism and local culture, featuring beaches, historical sites, and outdoor activities
• Geographic Scope: Exclusively covers Oahu, one of Hawaii’s main islands
• Design Features: Vibrant colors and illustrations with whimsical representations
• Historical Significance: Captures peak mid-20th-century tourism marketing and the 1970s leisure-culture spirit

Please double check the images to make sure that a specific town or place is shown on this map. You can also get in touch and ask us to check the map for you.

This map looks great at every size, but I always recommend going for a larger size if you have space. That way you can easily make out all of the details.

This map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 100in (250cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please get in touch.

The model in the listing images is holding the 18x24in (45x60cm) version of this map.

The fifth listing image shows an example of my map personalisation service.

If you’re looking for something slightly different, check out my collection of the best old maps to see if something else catches your eye.

Please contact me to check if a certain location, landmark or feature is shown on this map.

This would make a wonderful birthday, Christmas, Father's Day, work leaving, anniversary or housewarming gift for someone from the areas covered by this map.

This map is available as a giclée print on acid free archival matte paper, or you can buy it framed. The frame is a nice, simple black frame that suits most aesthetics. Please get in touch if you'd like a different frame colour or material. My frames are glazed with super-clear museum-grade acrylic (perspex/acrylite), which is significantly less reflective than glass, safer, and will always arrive in perfect condition.

This map is also available as a float framed canvas, sometimes known as a shadow gap framed canvas or canvas floater. The map is printed on artist's cotton canvas and then stretched over a handmade box frame. We then "float" the canvas inside a wooden frame, which is available in a range of colours (black, dark brown, oak, antique gold and white). This is a wonderful way to present a map without glazing in front. See some examples of float framed canvas maps and explore the differences between my different finishes.

For something truly unique, this map is also available in "Unique 3D", our trademarked process that dramatically transforms the map so that it has a wonderful sense of depth. We combine the original map with detailed topography and elevation data, so that mountains and the terrain really "pop". For more info and examples of 3D maps, check my Unique 3D page.

Many of our maps and art prints are chosen as thoughtful gifts for homes, offices, studies and meaningful places.

Choose a framed option for the easiest ready-to-hang gift, or choose an unframed print if the recipient may prefer to select their own frame.

We make orders locally in 23 countries around the world, so gifts can often be produced close to the recipient. This helps them arrive faster, travel more safely, and avoid customs or import duty surprises.

• We can deliver directly to the recipient
• Framed pieces arrive ready to hang
• Unframed prints are carefully packed in a strong protective tube
• Almost every order is made locally, for faster, safer gifting
• 90-day returns give the recipient time to decide

If you are not sure what to choose, please contact us. We can help you pick the right map, size, finish or delivery option.

Most orders are made locally and delivered in around 2–3 working days, depending on the product, size and destination.

We print and frame maps and artwork in 23 countries around the world, so your order is usually made close to you or your recipient. That means faster delivery, less time in transit, and no customs or import duty surprises.

Personalised and customised pieces usually take an extra 1–2 working days, because we prepare your design and send it to you for approval before printing.

Very large framed orders can take a little longer, as they need extra care in production and delivery.

Every order is carefully packaged: unframed prints are sent in a strong protective tube, while framed pieces are securely packed with protective materials around the frame.

If you need your order by a particular date, please contact us before ordering. We’ll check the best production route and delivery option for your location.

Express delivery is available at checkout for most countries. Next-day delivery is available in the UK, US, Singapore and the UAE.

Your order is covered by our 90-day returns policy and 10-year guarantee.

Read our full delivery and local production guide

Our standard frame is a gallery-style black ash hardwood frame, with a simple, modern look. It is approximately 20mm (0.8in) wide. You can also view some lovely customer photos of framed maps and art.

We use super-clear acrylic glazing, also known as Perspex or Acrylite, instead of traditional glass. It is lighter, safer, and has lower reflectivity, giving the artwork a clearer, cleaner appearance.

Six standard frame colours are available at no extra cost: black, dark brown, dark grey, oak, white, and antique gold. Custom framing and mounting/matting is also available for customers looking for something more specific.

Most maps, art prints, and illustrations are also available as a framed canvas. We use matte cotton canvas, stretch it over a sustainably sourced wooden box frame, and then float the piece within a wooden outer frame. The finished result is beautifully presented, with no glazing between you and the artwork.

All frames are supplied ready to hang, with either string or brackets fitted to the back. Very large frames will include heavy-duty hanging plates and/or a mounting baton. If you have any questions, please get in touch.

We can also supply old maps and artwork on canvas, foam board, cotton rag, and other materials.

If you would prefer to frame your map or artwork yourself, please read our size guide before ordering.

My maps are extremely high quality reproductions of original maps.

I source original, rare maps from libraries, auction houses and private collections around the world, restore them at my London workshop, and then use specialist giclée inks and printers to create beautiful maps that look even better than the original.

My maps are printed on acid-free archival matte (not glossy) paper that feels very high quality and almost like card. In technical terms the paper weight/thickness is 10mil/200gsm. It's perfect for framing.

I print with Epson ultrachrome giclée UV fade resistant pigment inks - some of the best inks you can find.

I can also make maps on canvas, cotton rag and other exotic materials.

Learn more about The Unique Maps Co.

Map personalisation

If you're looking for the perfect anniversary or housewarming gift, I can personalise your map to make it truly unique. For example, I can add a short message, or highlight an important location, or add your family's coat of arms.

The options are almost infinite. Please see my map personalisation page for some wonderful examples of what's possible.

To order a personalised map, select "personalise your map" before adding it to your basket.

Get in touch if you're looking for more complex customisations and personalisations.

Map ageing

I have been asked hundreds of times over the years by customers if they could buy a map that looks even older.

Well, now you can, by selecting Aged before you add a map to your basket.

All the product photos you see on this page show the map in its Original form. This is what the map looks like today.

If you select Aged, I will age your map by hand, using a special and unique process developed through years of studying old maps, talking to researchers to understand the chemistry of aging paper, and of course... lots of practice!

If you're unsure, stick to the Original colour of the map. If you want something a bit darker and older looking, go for Aged.

See some amazing examples of Aged maps.

Se non sei soddisfatto del tuo ordine per qualsiasi motivo, contattami per un rimborso senza problemi. Si prega di consultare la nostra politica di reso e rimborso per ulteriori informazioni.

Sono molto sicuro che ti piacerà la tua mappa restaurata o la stampa d'arte. Lo faccio dal 1984. Sono un venditore Etsy a 5 stelle. Ho venduto decine di migliaia di mappe e stampe d'arte e ho oltre 5.000 recensioni reali a 5 stelle.

Utilizzo un processo unico per restaurare mappe e opere d'arte che richiede molto tempo e lavoro. Trovare le mappe e le illustrazioni originali può richiedere mesi. Utilizzo tecnologia all'avanguardia e incredibilmente costosa per scannerizzare e restaurarle. Di conseguenza, garantisco che le mie mappe e stampe d'arte siano superiori alle altre - ecco perché posso offrire un rimborso senza problemi.

Quasi tutte le mie mappe e stampe d'arte sembrano fantastiche a grandi dimensioni (200 cm, 6,5 piedi+) e posso anche incorniciarle e consegnarle a te, tramite un corriere speciale per oggetti di grandi dimensioni. Contattami per discutere delle tue esigenze specifiche.