Baltimore to Los Angeles - 1924

[kjolly]

Wow! I'd like to see the route taken.

I don't believe the US highway system was even in place at that time, so this must have taken some innovation. Five years prior, in 1919, a young Army officer named Dwight Eisenhower would participate in a country-wide survey with a convoy of Army vehicles to study this very problem. He would sign the funding for the Interstate system decades later when he became President.

Mike --

I'm in the process of tracing out Phil's 1924 route and mapping it onto today's roads (hopefully to ride it). In 1924 in the Eastern half of the country (more or less to St Louis), most of the major intercity routes were hard-surfaced - concrete, brick, macadam). It looks like Phil followed the route of the National Old Trail. Before 1927 most "Highways" were really just routes. A highway asssociation - supported by businesses in towns along the route - would put up marker poles and mileage signs (and print tourist brochures and maps) - but they didn't build or maintain the roads - that was done by cities and states. The HQ of the National Old Trail Association was in Kansas City. I've got Phil's route traced out to Kansas now, if I ever get organized I'm going to put it up on my web site.

Kevin

 

[Mike in Clear Lake]

Mike --

I'm in the process of tracing out Phil's 1924 route and mapping it onto today's roads (hopefully to ride it). In 1924 in the Eastern half of the country (more or less to St Louis), most of the major intercity routes were hard-surfaced - concrete, brick, macadam). It looks like Phil followed the route of the National Old Trail. Before 1927 most "Highways" were really just routes. A highway asssociation - supported by businesses in towns along the route - would put up marker poles and mileage signs (and print tourist brochures and maps) - but they didn't build or maintain the roads - that was done by cities and states. The HQ of the National Old Trail Association was in Kansas City. I've got Phil's route traced out to Kansas now, if I ever get organized I'm going to put it up on my web site.

Kevin

I am really very truly interested in this, and have always been interested in the early transportation systems in the US, canals/rivers, trains, and roads. I am interested in your work, so please keep me informed.

Thanks,

Mike

 

[Shaggy]

I am interested in the route as well. I made a trek to L.A. and back myself a few years ago, however it was on the interstate system and in a Corvette, but it was still a journey of a lifetime and would do it all over again in a heartbeat. Maybe next time it will be on two wheels.

 

[kjolly]

When I get something together I'll post it up.

One of the things I've been thinking about is to ride the route of the Old Spanish Trail (OST) here in Texas. The OST association was HQd in San Antonio, and their papers, etc are at Our Lady of the Lake.

The OST ran from FLA to CA (kind of sort of along where IH-10 runs today), here in Texas it ran from Beaumont to El Paso. Until you get to around Sonora there are still old alignments of the road that aren't on IH-10, past Sonora it's just disconnected segments - but a lot of interesting old roads out there.

Kevin

 

[leekellerking]

I'm building web pages from my wife's grandfather's journal of his motorcycle trips cross-country in 1924 - and I thought you guys might be interested.

May 30, 1924 - June 5, 1924
Balitmore, Maryland to Marshall, Missouri
1033 miles

A kinder and gentler nation, back then. This is just wonderful.

Have you cross posted on Adventure Rider? Phil's trip was surely an adventure!


Lee

 

[FirstMan]

Thank you for taking the time to write this. I will keep on watching and reading.

 

[DaveC]

I bought the book,
thanks Kevin.
Got a link to LuLu?

 

[kjolly]

Dave --

I guess the best link would be to my web site - http://www.kevin-jolly.com - it has the whole journal along with links to the book.

Thanks

Kevin