Here’s a map from 1967 highlighting the state of Pennsylvania. Full-service gas stations were still the norm. The front and back of this map shows off the crisp and clean stations and uniformed attendants. It is noted that if the workers fail to clean your windshield and check the oil, your gasoline purchase is free. [...]
This 1940s road map was handed out by the Mobilinn Cafe and Curios located at the intersection of highways U.S. 60, 66 and 87 in Amarillo, Texas. Mobil Oil’s Flying Red Horse was a common sight along the highways of old.
In 1939, the Highway Travel Service produced this neat map to guide motorists to the 1939 World’s Fair in New York. The map focuses mainly on U.S. 66 - The Will Rogers Highway - and all the great stops along the way.
Using maps and lists, a Fair-bound traveler could plot out places to eat, stay [...]
There are plenty of beautiful road maps. But this 1929 example from Shell would be on many folks Top 10 list. Almost 80 years old, this relic shows a bountiful landscape filled with the optimism of people on the move. And who wouldn’t want to stop at that crackerbox-style gas station? This map heralded in [...]
Here’s a cool combo map and guide to Highways 60 and 66. The Highway Travel Service, based in Waterloo, Iowa, produced dozens of maps in the 1930s and 40s. This map from 1939, showed travelers the way from Virginia to California. One of the best parts of this guide are the nifty ads inside. Cafes, [...]
This handy little map, from the 1930s, promoted travel to and from Tulsa, Okla. along U.S. 66. The map is illustrated with hand-drawn cartography and scenes from the different states. A thicket of oil wells greeted travelers in Oklahoma. Cactus, canyons and mountains added luster to Arizona. Large cities, like Chicago and St. Louis are [...]
I wrote a piece that appeared today in The Kansas City Star. The story was about the many navigation choices travelers have when they hit the road. GPS devices, online mapping services and, of course, the traditional road map. Well, I bet you can guess what I like to use. Anyhow, here is a link [...]
