Maine, from Flags of the States and Territories (N11) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1888

This small chromolithograph of Maine comes from a series of state flags inserted in cigarette packs by Allen & Ginter of Richmond, Virginia. It was designed to appeal to smokers in the late 19th century. The flag in the image combines the state seal, which includes a pine tree, a deer, and a star, with figures meant to represent archetypes of Maine men. Below, a team hauls logs across a snowy field. The imagery projects an idea of Maine as a land of hardy men and abundant natural resources. But it also suggests the degree to which that natural landscape had become a resource for extraction in the post-Civil War industrial economy. These cards provide insight into the ways that commercial institutions capitalized on regional and national identities to promote their products. Cultural historians can study the imagery on the cards, along with company records and advertising data, to better understand the consumer culture of the late 19th century.