Early Goodrich Road Guide to the South

"Southern Route Book - Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee",

This is an early effort by Goodrich to produce a Southeastern route guide. It lists 111 different driving tours covering the region from Richmond and Louisville south to New Orleans and Florida. There is an index map and a number of mostly city maps interspersed within the driving directions. In 1910 Goodrich began to install road signs throughout the U.S.; by 1917 Goodyear had installed its easily seen 10-foot signs along 110,000 miles of road. Following Michelin’s lead in Europe, Goodrich also began to issue route books for tourists, highlighting the Goodrich signs and providing specific directions. Goodrich stopped installing signs in 1920 and apparently stopped issuing its route books and maps at about the same time map publishers and oil companies entered the market. Pictorial paper wrappers (5.1 x 9.1") with a Goodrich sign on the front wrapper. OCLC shows a single location for a smaller 64 page 1913 version of this guide and no record of any subsequent editions.

References: Harp (A World History of Rubber) p. 66.

Condition: B

Contents are lightly toned with some roughness along the bottom sheet edges in the second half of the guide. Paper covers have separated from the text block and there are some rust stains around the staples used for binding.