J.W. Pohlman Map of Indiana

Early 20th century road map of Indiana with bold advertising.

This map of Indiana was issued at a pivotal time for automobile travel in the United States. 1927 was the last year Henry Ford produced his famous Model T – over 15 million had been sold after first rolling off the line in 1908. Furthermore, 1926 was the year the United States officially approved the iconic highway shield and corresponding numbering system. The legislation was spearheaded by a coalition of state highway associations under the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture. Also in that year, the National Road became part of U.S. Highway 40, which can be seen entering the map on the west side of the state near Richmond.

Despite the advances in organization and federal support, state road systems were a motley assortment of size, surface and construction quality. On this map, five separate road types are listed, each of which could be surfaced four separate ways, or under construction. Apart from federal highways, each state had their respective markers as well, adding to navigational confusion. The mechanical reliability of the automobile could also made road travel hazardous, as the advertising surrounding the map so helpfully points out. However, these pitfalls couldn’t keep America off the roads – there was too much to see and do. Over 100 points of interest are numbered within the image, and a brief description of each can be found on either side.