Good Roads Everywhere

Expansive cartographic overview of the burgeoning National Highway System in the United States.

Until the late 19th century, road construction and maintenance in the United States were primarily considered a state and local responsibility. Privately owned railroads dominated much of interstate commerce, and the idea of a federally funded network of highways gained significant traction only in the 1890s. Cyclists, surprisingly, were among the most vocal proponents of early “Good Roads” legislation, and the growing ubiquity of the automobile—accelerated by Henry Ford’s affordable Model T, introduced in 1908—eventually helped spur Congress to establish a system of federal highway aid. The first major effort was the Federal Aid Road Act of 1916, substantially expanded by the Phipps Act of 1921.

This map, published by the National Highways Association, illustrates the state of those efforts in 1924. It proposes a “four fold system” of highways consisting of National, State, County, and Town roads, each to be constructed and maintained by its respective political authority. Naturally, the proposed national network “should all be built and forever maintained by the United States Government.” Existing and proposed components of the national system are identified in the legend, including the National Park-to-Park Highway, various transcontinental highways, and tour routes promoted by the Automobile Club of America. The key also explains the colors used to identify Indian Reservations, National Forests, irrigation projects, and National Parks, all of which are shown in relation to the proposed highway network.

Numerous text boxes around the border provide additional arguments for federal road aid, emphasizing the importance of accessibility to regional airports, the effects of variable weather conditions, and the benefits of a comprehensive national network. Despite the National Highways Association’s extensive advocacy, Congress did not adopt the proposal in its entirety. Rather, it formed part of the broader national debate over federal highway policy that culminated in the establishment of the U.S. Numbered Highway System in 1926.

This is the first edition of the map, designed by Chief Cartographer John C. Mulford and published jointly by the National Highways Association and the Automobile Club of America. Lithography was performed by A. Hoen & Co. At least ten subsequent editions followed, making this an especially interesting document of the evolving campaign for a federally coordinated American highway system.