Educational Tours Covering all Points of Interest in Southern California

An uncommon promotional brochure for a new form of tourism in Southern California.

This is a charming 1920s view of Southern California between Santa Barbara and San Diego, looking east towards the Sierra Nevada. The metropolis of Los Angeles sits in the center, though the region clearly lacks the population density for which it is known today. Numerous locations of interest, many represented by small vignettes, are accessible via an unbroken network of local roads.

The brochure was printed around 1925 to promote Parlor Car Tours of Los Angeles (est. 1924). Available tour options and accompanying descriptions are provided throughout the 8 folding pages. A modern successor tour company, operating under the same name, promises to “transport you back in time to the glamorous era of the 1920s, offering a first-class luxury experience like no other.”

A notable element emphasized throughout the piece is the Fageol Safety Coach. This innovative passenger bus, introduced around 1922, sported a lower center of gravity, a wide stance, air brakes, and numerous other safety features. Upholstered wicker chairs, individual doors, adjustable windows, and interior heating offered unprecedented comfort and helped to revolutionize local tourism in markets from coast to coast.

An artist’s signature in the lower right reads Sewell – Jackson. Artwork on the front cover is signed Ron Jackson, leading me to believe the map was created by a pair of artists. Though difficult to confirm, there is an outside chance that the Sewell is referring to Kathryn Sewell of Burlingame, the mother of Doris Sewell Jackson.

Sources: Seeing California the Delightful Way; Elisa Rolle (Blog); Bus and Motor Coach News;