The Official Map of the United States

The 1916 edition of The Official Map of the United States from the National Survey Company

Outstanding events in Europe aside, 1916 was a pivotal year in the United States. The Mexican Revolution & hunt for Santa Ana, occupation of the Dominican Republic, and severe domestic unrest was capped off by a contentious election that saw Woodrow Wilson win a second term thanks largely to his efforts to keep America out of the World War. These would be for naught, as Germany resumed unrestricted submarine warfare in early 1917; a policy which, along with the infamous ‘Zimmerman Telegram’, would force Wilson’s hand in asking Congress for a declaration of war.

This Official Map of the United States published in 1916 by the National Survey Company of Chester, Vermont shows signs of the impending conflict. Red overprinting military reservations and various installations like coastal defenses, navy yards, barracks, arsenals, army hospitals, and quartermaster depots. The nation’s main highways are also highlighted in red, with the Lincoln Highway (the first transcontinental automobile route) shown in bold running between Philadelphia and San Francisco.

Other lithographed colors highlight the extent of Native American reservations (yellow), National Forests (green), and National Parks (purple). An index of primary railroads can be seen in the center-left, while much of the remaining negative space is occupied by a comprehensive list of large towns, their populations, and their corresponding location on the map.

Source: Department of State Office of the Historian