West Auto Supply Catalog [Maps of Western States]

“More Than 100 Stores All Over the West.”

This fascinating catalog was published in 1925 by the Western Auto Supply Company of Los Angeles. Originally founded as a mail-order business for replacement automobile parts in Kansas City in 1909 (the year after the Model T was introduced) the first Western Auto retail store didn’t open until 1921. Within a few short years, the number of establishments grew to over 100, operating primarily on the West Coast.

The catalog’s 128 pages include a bewildering variety of vehicle components ranging from ‘Kamp Kitchen Comforts’ like tables and portable stoves, to tools for grinding valves and complete custom ignition systems. The firm’s cord tires and new Los Angeles headquarters are prominently advertised in several areas.

Six of the final seven pages contain early automobile maps showing the main and secondary roads, as well as locations of Western Auto Supply Stores, across the states of Nevada, California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Utah.

Source: Kansas City Public Library