Rand McNally Official 1920 Auto Trails Map District Number 3 Southern Peninsula of Michigan Northern Indiana Northwestern Ohio

An uncommon 1920 road map of Michigan.

This fascinating road map of the Wolverine State (and portions of northern Indiana and Ohio) was published in 1920 by the Chicago-based mapmaking firm of Rand McNally. The year prior, Michigan became one of the first states (following only Wisconsin) to organize its primary highways using a series of consecutive numbers – the federal government would not follow suit until 1926. The marker for these state-sanctioned trunk lines can be seen in the upper right corner, along with the mish-mashed signage used for privately-sponsored auto trails. Insets show the Upper Peninsula and the area around Chicago.

Towns small and large are connected by a robust network of lines, the style dictating the road’s surface and designation. Red overprinting near the bigger urban areas provides recommended suggestions for motorist amenities like hotels, garages, and restaurants.

Rand McNally regularly re-issued their Auto Trails maps, which broke the continental U.S. into different districts, from late 1910s the through the 1920s. The eventual standardization of the national highway system, the popularization of the road atlas, and competing organizations like AAA led to its eventual replacement in favor of other travel guides. https://lib.msu.edu/exhibits/map/miroadmap5