Pre-Interstate 1955 U.S. highway map

[moto]

Well, the title says it. Here is the link to such a map, in pdf:

(EDIT: fixed the link)

http://www.vidiani.com/maps/maps_of_north_america/maps_of_usa/detailed_map_of_USA_highway_system_of_1955.jpg

I had a copy made at FedEx (printed too big, and way too expensive) and used it on a recent trip from Madison to upstate New York. Of course, it's almost 70 years out of date, so I had to make allowances. On the postive side, you can find the old roads still in use for the most part, often alongside a new Interstate and often with a revised highway number. Also on that side, it must be true that the old roads get less use because of the Interstates. However, they are still crowded and slow, at least on the route I took. Out West I think they would be a better alternative.

The map makes interesting browsing and is probably more help than just setting your GPS to avoid thruways and toll roads.

Submitted for your consideration.

Moto

[John A]

The link wouldn’t work for me. I’d like to print one of those alright 

[moto]

The link wouldn’t work for me. I’d like to print one of those alright 

fixed it.

[John A]

Thanks, I like that map.

[Stretch]

Cool!   Thanks for that.

              -Stretch

[Scout63]

I was able to track Route 6 pretty much all the way from Provincetown to Long Beach. Much harder on the ground. Thanks for putting together and posting Moto.

[twowheeladdict]

Very cool!  When I have time I will use it to put routes in my GPS and see how well it tracks.

It is now a jpg instead of a PDF.  I like how it shows state parks and national forests.  Places I love to go. 

[OldMojo]

Very interesting, thanks for posting. I'd love to see some smaller scale.

Plenty of interesting things to point out here, but a few that stood out to me..

No Mackinac bridge
No Lake Ponchartrain causeway
No Hampton Roads connections
Atlanta, Miami, Charlotte apparently aren't big enough to warrant ALL CAPS, but Pittsburgh and Cleveland are.
L.A. & S.F. are the only western cities that do.

[motogoro]

I love old US highway maps!  Bought a 1946 Rand McNally Atlas at an estate sale about 40 years ago.  I keep it with my newer DeLorme Atlas/Gazetteers and a copy of Blue Highways.  Seem to have misplaced my copy of Travels with Charlie. 

After riding US-30 through OH, IN and part of IL bringing home a new Cal III from Joe Eish's, I thought about riding US-30 coast to coast.  Haven't done that yet.     Some of 30 in PA is, or was, interesting. 

 

[chuck peterson]

Old maps are archeology! I inherited a 4 ft stack one year…all from early 60’s when the gas companies were fighting for your dollars at $0.26 a gallon…

I pull one out and just, I don’t know, FIND Stuff…

[moto]

Very interesting, thanks for posting. I'd love to see some smaller scale.

Plenty of interesting things to point out here, but a few that stood out to me..

No Mackinac bridge
No Lake Ponchartrain causeway
No Hampton Roads connections
Atlanta, Miami, Charlotte apparently aren't big enough to warrant ALL CAPS, but Pittsburgh and Cleveland are.
L.A. & S.F. are the only western cities that do.

LA and SF were the only ones that had major league teams then too.

I don't know what you meant by "smaller scale."

Tip for anyone who might print this: don't make it bigger than your favorite road map, since there is not a lot of resolution at bigger blow-ups. Try to get it reproduced on thin but tough paper. I didn't think of these points, so I have an unwieldy map. Try to locate a sentient clerk at the FedEx counter, instead of a (smoothly) shaved ape.

[kballowe]

Oh, thanks a lot !  (sarcasm).

I just spent two hours studying it.

Pretty cool.  Thanks.

[PeteS]

Very interesting, thanks for posting. I'd love to see some smaller scale.

Plenty of interesting things to point out here, but a few that stood out to me..

No Mackinac bridge
No Lake Ponchartrain causeway
No Hampton Roads connections
Atlanta, Miami, Charlotte apparently aren't big enough to warrant ALL CAPS, but Pittsburgh and Cleveland are.
L.A. & S.F. are the only western cities that do.

My impression too. Many, many major roads that existed then are not shown. I still prefer paper maps and carry the map for each state I plan to be in or might be in on a trip.

Pete

[moto]

Very interesting, thanks for posting. I'd love to see some smaller scale.

Plenty of interesting things to point out here, but a few that stood out to me..

No Mackinac bridge
No Lake Ponchartrain causeway
No Hampton Roads connections
Atlanta, Miami, Charlotte apparently aren't big enough to warrant ALL CAPS, but Pittsburgh and Cleveland are.
L.A. & S.F. are the only western cities that do.

My impression too. Many, many major roads that existed then are not shown. I still prefer paper maps and carry the map for each state I plan to be in or might be in on a trip.

Pete

The three features Old Mojo pointed out all opened in 1956 or 1957, so the 1955 map is correct for its  date, with respect to them. Can you give some specific examples of the "many, many major roads that existed then [i.e., in 1955]" that are missing from the map?

I carry modern paper maps too. It would be foolish to rely directly on the 1955 map, of course.

[OldMojo]

I don't know what you meant by "smaller scale."

My mistake, I meant larger scale - closer in and greater detail.

I had to look it up - I always get those confused.

[moto]

My mistake, I meant larger scale - closer in and greater detail.

I had to look it up - I always get those confused.

Oh, yeah. I probably do too.

I just bought a pre-1956 gas station map of Wisconsin ($6) after you brought up the idea. I can tell by looking at it that there aren't any Interstate highways on it. The ad just said "1950's," but the Interstates would start appearing on maps after 1956, and sometimes before they were actually built, so you'd have to be careful if you want an Interstate-free one.

Not really a replacement for a national, pre-Interstate large-scale map, though. Maybe AI will create one for us soon. (But how could we trust it?)

[PeteS]

The three features Old Mojo pointed out all opened in 1956 or 1957, so the 1955 map is correct for its  date, with respect to them. Can you give some specific examples of the "many, many major roads that existed then [i.e., in 1955]" that are missing from the map?

I carry modern paper maps too. It would be foolish to rely directly on the 1955 map, of course.

I don’t have the whole list but three near me are US15 from Lake Ontario to southern South Carolina, bits are missing, US 62 from Niagara Falls, NY to El Paso, TX, created in the 1930s, nothing on the map, US219 From Buffalo, NY to West Virginia, Virginia line. nothing on the map also created in the ‘30s.  I am sure you can find a few more.

Pete

[moto]

... US 62 from Niagara Falls, NY to El Paso, TX, created in the 1930s, nothing on the map ...
Pete

Your statement about US 62 is false. The map does indeed show it running from El Paso to Oklahoma City, to Paducah, KY, and then to Moranburg, on the Ohio River, about 1500 miles. After that, the remainder up to Niagra Falls is missing. I didn't check your other claims. I doubt that any omitted highways, or pieces of highways, were considered "major roads," as you assert them to have been. Otherwise they would have been included by the cartographers. In any event, if the map doesn't meet your needs, don't use it.

Moto

[PeteS]

Your statement about US 62 is false. The map does indeed show it running from El Paso to Oklahoma City, to Paducah, KY, and then to Moranburg, on the Ohio River, about 1500 miles. After that, the remainder up to Niagra Falls is missing. I didn't check your other claims. I doubt that any omitted highways, or pieces of highways, were considered "major roads," as you assert them to have been. Otherwise they would have been included by the cartographers. In any event, if the map doesn't meet your needs, don't use it.

Moto

The point is the map is in no way complete as you just confirmed and its Niagara Falls.

Pete

[moto]

The point is the map is in no way complete as you just confirmed and its Niagara Falls.

Pete

I did not claim "completeness," which would be hard to define, for me. I was just passing it along, with its posted claim to being detailed. It wasn't put together by me, but by someone who assembled it from a travel atlas.

You're right, it's Niagara. How stupid of me, wouldn't you say?

Moto

[SSGG Geezer]

I love it! The town of 2200 people I live in is shown but the small city I work in is not. I would love to find an intact gazetteer from this era, either original of a reprint just to go hunting for interesting rides.

[moto]

I shouldn't bump my own post, but I just noticed how clearly all (well, not literally all, PeteS) the rivers are drawn, in blue, and labeled too. The clear representation of both river and highway features on the same map is rare now, as far as I know. I often find myself on highways wishing I knew where I was with respect to waterways.