Souvenir Map of the City of Savannah and Chatham County, GA.

The ‘Hostess City of the South’ near the end of the Roaring 20s.

This inviting map of Savannah and Chatham County, Georgia was published locally in 1929 by the Commercial Lithograph and Printing Company. One side of the sheet, credited to W.F. Brown and titled ‘Skeleton Map Showing Public Highways in Chatham Co., GA,’ delineates the regional transportation network. Paved roads are highlighted in red, while less-favorable surfaces are noted according to the legend in the center right. Various features and locations of interest are labeled, including Victory Drive, the municipal airport, and the Wilmington Island Pleasure & Improvement Company Subdivision. Also of note is the large parcel owned by the Union Bag Company – when the plant opened in 1937, it was the largest integrated paper mill and bag factory in the world.

The verso of the sheet presents a larger-scale street plan of the city of Savannah, which notes the local transportation system, major industries, and public buildings. Adjacent text outlines ‘The Principles of Good Driving,’ complete with diagrams of hand turn signals and male-gendered recommendations for safe motoring. Bold red overprinting pinpoints the location of the E.W. Laundry -the map’s primary sponsor – which proudly advertises its specialized ‘Cold Fur Storage’ and ‘Valeteria’ custom steam-pressing services. The focus on luxury fashion reflects Savannah’s status as a premier shopping destination during the Roaring Twenties. Multi-level department stores, clustered along Broughton Street, catered to both the local upper-class and the aristocratic elites from New England who flocked to the coastal South during the frigid winters.