1961 General Drafting Road Map (1 results)

Average. Wear and toning along fold lines, with loss at fold intersections and edge. Size 24 x 33 Inches. A large-format double-sided map of the United States produced in 1961 by the General Drafting Corporation for Standard Oil of Kentucky (also known as Kyso). Together, they highlight the rapid expansion of highways and interstates across the country, as well as the impact of the development of the oil industry on daily life. A Closer Look The recto map displays the continental United States along with portions of Canada and Mexico. States are shaded different colors to distinguish them more easily. Roads and highways are indicated in detail, as explained in a legend at right, as are cities and waterways. At top, inset maps of the recently added states of Hawaii and Alaska are included. A handy table of approximate distances between major metropolitan areas appears at bottom-left. This map was published in the wake of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, which created the U.S. Interstate system, here with both completed and projected routes noted. A text box at bottom touts the natural beauty of the U.S. and discusses the ongoing construction of the interstates. Verso Content A pictorial map of the United States occupies the verso, emphasizing products used throughout the country that are derived from oil. From cosmetics and clothing to chemicals and heavy industry, the message is clear that oil and its derivative products are both extremely versatile and essential for modern life. At top is a history of Standard Oil of Kentucky, which neatly avoids the company's early history as part of the wider Standard Oil Trust, and the latter's breakup due to a Supreme Court decision in 1911, but instead repeatedly emphasizes the company's connections with the South. When folded, the back cover continues this theme, proclaiming that Standard Oil is a southern Company - 'Of the South, By the South, For the South.' Incidentally, the same year this map was published Standard Oil of Kentucky was acquired by Standard Oil of California (Chevron). Publication History and Census These maps were produced in 1961 by the General Drafting Corporation for Standard Oil of Kentucky. They are quite rare in institutional collections, only being listed among the holdings of the University of Kentucky. References: OCLC 35161853.