The Short Highway North-South

“Consult Your Map” to save mileage along the Short Highway from North to South.

This charming strip map, folded into thirds for easy storage, shows a promoted series of highways between Bangor, Maine, and Miami, Florida. Billed as ‘The Short Route’, the mix of U.S. 1, 15A, and 17 is one of numerous avenues through which northerners could flee the cold during the winter. A mileage table is provided on the verso. The map was copyrighted in 1938 by the Lafayette Highway Association. Printed in Sumter, South Carolina by the Osteen Publishing Company.

The Lafayette Highway Association was one of dozens of organizations that sprang up along the well-traveled tourist routes from north to south. Different techniques were used by these private groups to promote various highways, or combinations thereof. Lists of attractions, descriptions of scenery and availability of amenities were all used liberally in such promotional material, usually supported by local businesses or chambers of commerce.