Pennsylvania in Early Pocket Maps 1900 - 1925

		1900 R. L. POLK & CO'S MAP OF PITTSBURGH, ALLEGHENY AND ENVIRONS. R. S. Davis & Co., Booksellers and Stationers, 346 Fifth Ave., Pittsburgh, Pa. This title is on the 7 x 4 inch brown paper cover, which is blank inside. The map title is 'Map of the Cities of Pittsburgh Allegheny and Environs.' 1900. R. L. Polk & Co. Publishers. Copyright 1900. There is a street gazetteer on the verso (not shown here) matching the grid around the map. One and two mile circles are drawn which center on the old City Hall on Smithfield Street. Pittsburgh incorporated Allegheny City around 1907. This map is printed on waxy paper to resist tearing and this copy is in good shape. Text on verso, no longitude. Scale: 1 inch = 0.25 miles. Size: 28.5 x 40 inches.
		1901 CRAM’S NEW TOWNSHIP AND RAILROAD MAP OF PENNSYLVANIA COMPILED FROM OFFICIAL SOURCES. Copyright 1901 by George F. Cram. The title is at lower right, a list of rail lines coded by color and number is at top; roads are not shown. The color coding of the rail lines makes this an attractive map even though the fonts typically used by Cram were not the most appealing. It is backed with linen, and attached to a 6 x 3.5 inch brown paper cover containing an ad for the Northwestern Railroad line. It seems strange to create a linen backed map and then attached it to such a cheap paper cover. Cram was well known for its atlases; this map seems too big for an atlas map and too small for a wall map, and so was likely made only as a pocket map for advertising. The back cover is missing on this copy which otherwise is in reasonable condition. Blank verso, longitude from Greenwich at top, from Washington at bottom . Scale: 1 inch = 11 miles. Size: 22 x 31 inches.
		1903 SCARBOROUGH’S MAP OF PENNSYLVANIA SHOWING ALL COUNTIES, TOWNSHIPS, CITIES, BOROUGHS, VILLAGES, POST-OFFICES AND RAILWAY STATIONS. Published by the Scarborough Company, Boston 1903. This is a large map that folds into a black 10.5 x 5 inch cover. The map is pasted to both the front and back covers with no spine, so it unfolds like an accordian. The back cover is blank. The map is backed with linen and this copy is in good condition. Rail lines, suburban electric lines, and major highways are shown. There is an inset of Philadelphia at top right, along with a legend and milage table. Scarborough produced these state maps for several years and they were also marketed as a wall map. Blank verso, longitude from Greenwich. Scale: 1 inch = 6 miles. Size: 35 x 50 inches.
		1904 PHILADELPHIA AND VICINITY, PENNSYLVANIA, NEW JERSEY, AND DELAWARE. U. S. Geological Survey, surveyed in 1894, edition of 1902, printed in 1904. This is a USGS map that J. L. Smith of Philadelphia, sometime after issue, sectioned and mounted on linen to create a folding pocket map. It bears the title "Smith's Map of Philadelphia and Vicinity" on the 10 x 5.5 inch dark blue embossed and gilded cover. The map covers the area north and west well past Norristown and south into Delaware, as well as a good chunk of New Jersey beyond Camden. It shows the local road network and was made for local travel. The inside cover is blank and this copy is in very good condition. Blank verso, longitude from Greenwich. Scale: 1 inch = 1 miles. Size: 36 x 28 inches.
		1905 MAP OF VALLEY FORGE RESERVATION AND VICINITY FOR EXCURSIONISTS DRIVERS AND AUTOMOBILISTS. Jas. W. Nagle, Publisher, 425 Walnut St., Philadelphia. The map folds into a 7 x 4.75 inch brown paper cover with the date 1905 on the inside; this date is used here, although it could come from a little later. This is really a road map for the park and the sort of pocket map replaced by the more typical automobile road maps. The Schuylkill River is at the top and the barracks layout and Washington’s Headquarters are located. Valley Forge was a work in progress when this map was made. It was established as the first state park in 1893 and the present boundaries evolved over several decades. Valley Forge was deeded to the National Park system in 1976 as a bicentennial gift to the nation from Pennsylvania. The map is printed on ordinary paper and this copy is brittle with age. Blank verso, longitude not shown. Scale: 1 inch = 800 feet. Size: 13.25 x 17 inches.
		1906 RAILROAD DISTANCE MAP OF PENNSYLVANIA SHOWING RAILROAD CONNECTIONS AND MILAGE BETWEEN ALL IMPORTANT CITIES AND TOWNS. Published by the Consolidated Map Co., Erie, Pa. Copyright January 26, 1906. This is an advertising map and folds into a dark, almost black, 7 x 4 inch paper cover with an ad for Café Kaufman near Pottsville. An image of a red car, an Overland Model 46, is stamped over the map around the perimeter and a large red hand shows the café location on the map. The car and hand and ad appear to be added after printing of the basic map, possibly stamped by hand. Rail lines are shown with towns and distances, no roads. The inside cover is blank. The map and cover are printed on cheap paper and this copy is in only fair condition. Blank verso, longitude not shown. Scale: 1 inch = 10 miles. Size: 27 x 40 inches.
		1907 HALBERSTADT’S GENERAL MAP OF THE BITUMINOUS COAL FIELDS OF PENNSYLVANIA, 1907. Constructed and Published by Baird Halberstadt, Engineer and Geologist, Pottsville, Pa. Julius Bien & Co. Lith. N.Y. There are four linen backed maps folded into and attached to a 9 x 6 inch red cover with the above title. The northwest map, shown at left, is attached to the front cover. The northeast map is attached to one side of an interior cover. The southwest map is attached to the other side of the interior cover; and the southeast map, which contains mostly an inset of the eastern United States, is attached to the back cover. Each map is 24 x 29 inches and linen backed. The first two maps cover northern Pennsylvania from Ohio to Bradford County. The third map covers southwestern Pennsylvania; and the fourth map continues as far as Blair County with the rest being an insert of the eastern United States. Coal fields are identified by color coding and coal mine locations are identified by numbers explained in a separate directory. Rail lines are shown but not roads. This is an example of a pocket map produced in this format for ease of storage and use, not so much for travel. Although, perhaps mine inspectors used them. The sectioning and packaging of this map makes it easy to use, unlike some other maps described here. This map was published several times, the earliest seen was 1904, and it may have been made as a wall map also. Blank verso, longitude from Greenwich. Scale: 1 inch = 4 miles. Size (each): 24 x 29 inches.
		1908 PLAN OF THE BOROUGH OF COLUMBIA FROM OFFICIAL SOURCES, by E. W. Goerke, C.E. 1908. Published by Edward B. Eckman and Frank J. Haberstroh. J. L. Smith, Map Publisher, 27 So. 6th. St. Phila. Pa. The two halves of this pocket map are attached to the front and back of a 7 x 4.5 inch hard cover; both measure ~37 x 29 inches with an inch between them. The left half has the title and is on the front cover; the right half is on the back cover. Wards are numbered and indicated by color. Columbia lies along the Susquehanna River south of Harrisburg; and in the 1830s was the co-terminus of the Pennsylvania Canal and the Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad, the first railroad built in the state. Blank verso. Scale: 1 inch = 200 feet. Size (each): 37 x 29 inches.
		1909 NEW TOWNSHIP, POST OFFICE, ROAD AND TROLLEY MAP OF LEHIGH & NORTHAMPTON COUNTIES. Copyright 1909 by The Favorite Press, Allentown, Pa. Compiled from U. S. Geological Surveys and other sources. Published and for sale by The Favorite Press, 540 North Seventh Street, Allentown, Pa. The map folds into an 8.25 x 4.5 inch brown paper cover with the same title as the map, and the inside cover is blank. The map shows the town and road network in some detail and was issued for travelers and automobile drivers. This is the sort of local product replaced by the oil company automobile road map. The map and cover are printed on ordinary paper and this copy is still in good condition. Blank verso, longitude not shown. Scale: 1 inch = 1.5 miles. Size: 22 x 31 inches.
		1910 POCKET MAP OF PENNSYLVANIA. Compliments of J. E. Rhoads, Coal & Wood, Harrisburg. The map folds into a 5.5 x 3.5 inch paper cover with this title. The inside cover shows the latest prices for sewer pipe. The map is titled just 'Pennsylvania’, The Jno. F. Waite Pub. Co. Engravers and Publishers, Chicago, Ill. It is printed on cheap paper and this is an example of an apparent atlas map plate used to print a map for advertising. The map shows counties by color and rail lines, no roads. The dating here is uncertain, but the cover has a phone number and phones were in regular use only after 1900 and it probably dates circa 1910. Blank verso, longitude from Greenwich at top, from Washington at bottom. Scale: 1 inch = 17 miles. Size: 13 x 20 inches.
		1911 SCARBOROUGH’S NEW CENSUS MAP OF PENNSYLVANIA. Published by the Scarborough Co., Indianapolis, Ind. This is a large and attractive color map showing townships, cities and towns, and rail lines, with an inset showing congressional districts. The map itself is about 29 x 50 inches with a gazetteer filling the margin. On the verso, and not shown here, is a map of the United States also with a gazetteer filling the margin. The map folds into a red 8.5 x 4.5 inch tri-fold cover and is attached to the middle panel, as shown at left. The outside of the cover is blank and not shown here. Ordinary paper is used, and this map is almost impossible to open without tearing, and way too large for convenient use. In other words, why make it in this format? See the 1907 map above for an elegant solution to this problem. Blank verso, longitude from Greenwich. Scale: 1 inch = 7 miles. Size: 40 x 56 inches.
		1912 LIPPINCOTT AND MCNEIL'S MAP OF GREATER PITTSBURGH. Published by Lippincott and McNeil, Engineers and Surveyors, 432 Diamond St., Pitts. Copyright 1912 by H. C. Lippincott. Plate made by I. C. Bragdon, Engraver, wood, photo, and halftone. This is a street map of Pittsburgh, and shows the immediate city and close-in suburbs. Street car lines are in red, and a street index is at right. Apparently a renaming of streets occurred around this time as a listing of old and new street names is given at the bottom. It folds into a 6 x 4 inch yellow paper cover with a similar title which is blank inside. The note on the cover states with great insistence that it was made in Pittsburgh. There were later versions of this map, though this may be the earliest one. The map is printed on ordinary paper and this copy has one long crease tear, but is otherwise in decent shape. Blank verso, no longitude. No scale, but 1 inch ~ 5 blocks. Size: 32 x 46 inches, map only: 32 x 34 inches.
		1915 THE RAND MCNALLY VEST POCKET MAP OF PENNSYLVANIA. Railroads and electric lines, counties, cities, towns, villages, post offices, lakes, rivers, etc. Published by Rand McNally & Company. This map folds into a 6 x 4 inch paperback cover to which this copy is no longer attached. The map itself is titled "Rand McNally’s New Commercial Atlas Map of Pennsylvania." Also folding in and attached to the front cover is a list of electric companies and the map shows the distribution of electric lines in 1915, when this innovation was big news. There is a gazetteer on the verso. The map and cover are printed on ordinary paper and this copy is impossible to open without crease tears of which there are many. Text on verso, longitude west from Greenwich. Scale: 1 inch = 8.5 miles. Size: 25 x 36 inches.
		1916 THE RAND MCNALLY VEST POCKET MAP OF PHILADELPHIA AND VICINITY. Rand McNally & Company. This title is on the 6 x 4 inch dark gray paper cover to which the map was attached, now loose in this copy. Inside the front cover is a list of other cities covered including Pittsburgh. The Pennsylvania version is shown above. The map title is “The Rand McNally New Commercial Atlas Map of Philadelphia” and would indicate an atlas plate was used. However, the red overlays showing public transport lines etc., is an over-print and may be original for the intended user of a pocket map. This is a street map with a grid around the edge and a matching street gazetteer on the verso. There is a smaller scale inset map showing the distribution of electric lines, new at this time, through the city indicated by red overlay. The map and cover are printed on ordinary paper and this copy is still in good condition. Text on verso, longitude not shown. Scale: 1 inch = 0.3 miles. Size: 18.5 x 25.5 inches.
		1918 MAP OF PHILADELPHIA, CAMDEN AND VICINITY COMPILED FROM CITY PLANS & PERSONAL SURVEYS. Published by Elvino V. Smith C.E. 512-514 Walnut St. Phila. Pa. Copyright 1918 by Elvino V. Smith. This is a large fine street map especially for the depiction of rail lines through the area. It includes small parts of southern Montgomery and eastern Delaware counties. There is a list of streets on the bottom whose coordinates match the grid around the edge. The map folds into a 7 x 4 inch green paper cover with the title at bottom: ‘New Map of Philadelphia and Vicinity.’ This cover is an ad for the land title and trust company whose business is described on the front and back; the inside is blank. The map is printed on ordinary, though heavy, paper; this copy has a few crease tears and is separated from the cover. Blank verso, longitude not shown. Scale: 1 inch = 3000 feet. Size: 27 x 40 inches; map only: 27 x 35 inches.
		1921 PENNSYLVANIA - SHOWING COUNTIES IN DIFFERENT COLORS - TOWNSHIPS - CITIES - BOROUGHS - VILLAGES - POST OFFICES …. Published by The National Map Co., Indianapolis. The map is undated but references the 1920 census, so a date of 1921 is used here as it was probably published to reflect the latest census. This very large map includes a small inset map with congressional districts and a gazetteer of cities and towns with population on the bottom and verso. The main roads are crudely shown in broad red bands without route numbers, also indicating the map is likely circa early 1920s. Rail and electric lines are also shown. It folds into a 8.5 x 6 inch black hardback cover blank on the outside but with the ad shown at left on the inside. Cheap paper is used and the map can hardly be opened without tearing. It is also way too large for convenient use. Text on verso, longitude from Greenwich. Scale: 1 inch = 5.2 miles. Size: 48 x 60 inches.
		1925 PENNSYLVANIA. C. S. Hammond & Co., New York. This is a folding map titled ‘Hammond’s 8 x 11 Map of Pennsylvania’ in small letters at the bottom. It folds into a 5.5 x 3.25 inch red paper cover with the advertisements shown at left. There are ads for the same insurance company inside, including underneath the map which cannot be seen without separating the map from the back cover. This map was likely made from a plate used for atlas maps and perhaps other uses by Hammond; but it is undated and could date anywhere circa 1920-30. Printed on ordinary cheap paper, it is typical for the pocket map as an ephemeral ad medium. Blank verso, longitude from Greenwich. Scale: 1 inch = 28 miles. Size: 8 x 11 inches.

Copyright 2011 by Harold Cramer. All rights reserved.

Articles

Home Page

Webpage Design