Auto Trails and Commercial Survey of the United States

One of the first commercially published road atlases in the United States.

This intriguing highway atlas of the United States was published by the National Map Company around 1922 (undated officially, but the National Parks map shows a date of 1921). Issued before the nationwide introduction of the Numbered Highway System, the contents reflect a patchwork assortment of public and privately sponsored named automobile trails (though some states had adopted independent numbering systems by the time of publication). These commercially-oriented routes were generally marked by signs on utility poles – nearly such 50 route markers are shown in full color after the table of contents. Both automobile and commercial maps of all 48 states are included, along with a map of national and transcontinental highways, list of motor vehicle laws, plan of Greater New York, and an informative ‘Autoists Gazeteer.’