Mendenhall’s Guide & Road Map of Pennsylvania, Showing Main Touring Routes & Good Roads, Locations of Towns, Post Offices, R.R. &c.

A scarce early 20th century guide to the roads of Pennsylvania.

This fascinating Progressive-era road guide to Pennsylvania was published by the Cincinnati-based firm of C.S. Mendenhall & Co. in 1906. A brightly colored image highlights the ‘Main Routes’ across the Keystone State in red, while county and state borders are colored in yellow. Good roads, railroads, and canals are also noted, presenting a complete overview of the available transportation infrastructure. Inset plans highlight the same details, at a larger scale, around the major urban areas of (in order of size) Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, and Erie.

The red numbers refer to Mendenhall’s recommended itineraries, which are included in the attached booklet and often include information on local road conditions. Motoring across Pennsylvania during the early 1900s would have posed several challenges. Apart from the large areas lacking good roads, there was a significant dearth of automotive infrastructure (mechanics, auto suppliers, etc.), proper route signage, and motorist amenities. Early automobiles also often struggled with rugged terrain – while distances may appear short, the hazardous landscape of the Alleghenies posed a significant barrier to comfortable travel.

Established in Cincinnati and active from the 1880s through the 1910s, C.S. Mendenhall was a pioneering mapmaking firm that played a vital role in transitioning America travelers from the bicycle craze of the Gilded Age to the era of the automobile. While competitors like Rand McNally focused on national expansion, Mendenhall became a regional authority on the Midwest and pockets of the East Coast and Southern states. His detailed maps were usually accompanied by road guides that provided text-based itineraries between specific points, often incorporating local conditions (as in this case).