Highway Map and Guide of California

Road map of California published during the construction of the Golden Gate and Bay Bridges in San Francisco.

This highway map of California by the Mid-West Map Company was part of a series of maps designed to provide a traveler with all the information they could need while on the road. In addition to route and surface designations, mile markers, airports, campsites, and rail lines, the map also provides detailed information on locations where motorists could stop for additional information, necessary services, or to get a meal.

There are three advertisements for such locations on the image of the map, and over 100 more are detailed on the verso. Insets for transportation services in the Bay Area are also present, including toll roads and auto ferries. A large advertisement in the upper right hand corner underlies why such ferries were necessary – both the Bay and Golden Gate bridges were currently under construction at the time of publication and auto mobility in the Bay Area was severely limited. The ferry operators capitalized on the fabrication process and created special routes so visitors could see the iconic bridges as they were being built.