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Auto Trail Articles

This page features articles about the history, the important people, and the development of America's early 20th century auto trails. It also presents vintage articles from newspapers and magazines.

If you have a little knowledge you'd like to share about an old highway and the people who created and promoted it, please feel free to send me a message with your ideas. Articles submitted will remain your intellectual property, and you will get full credit online. Remember that a few pictures will help to spice up your article.

Current Articles about Auto Trails

• How to find the oldest auto trail and US highway alignments even without an old map by Steven Varner

Early Articles from the Auto Trails Era

General

• Plans For Big Roads Convention Made
  ― Reprinted from The New York Times, 2 March 1913.
• To Map Two Trails Across Continent
  Includes early discussions of the Lincoln Highway, Southern National Highway, and the Oregon Trail auto trail, among others.
  ― Reprinted from The New York Times, 4 May 1913.
• Much Touring To Coast Predicted For Summer
  ― Reprinted from The New York Times, 7 March 1915.
• The Trail of the Painted Posts by Raymond S. Spears
  ― Reprinted from Outing magazine, November 1915. Page 149.
• The Associated Highways of America
  ― Reprinted from Municipal Journal, 15 February 1919, page 140-141.
• Let's Go: Here Are the Motor Trails from Atlantic to Pacific—and All Points Between
  Article by A. L. Westgard about touring across America. It mentions several national parks as well as the main east-west and north-south trunk lines across the country.
  ― Reprinted from The Independent, 7 June 1919.
• Louisiana to Build Seven Trunk Lines Through State
  Includes an outline of auto trails being built across Louisiana, including the Dixie Overland Highway, the Jackson Highway, the Jefferson Highway, and the Old Spanish Trail.
  ― Reprinted from Municipal Journal, 5 February 1920, page 26.
• Across New Mexico and Arizona by Jehiel S. Davis
  ― Reprinted from Outing magazine, June 1921. Page 122.
• S.D. County Crisscrossed by superb paved highways
  ― Reprinted from the San Diego Union, 12 Jun 1940, page 12.

Trail to Sunset

Pathfinder A.L. Westgard's precurser to the National Old Trails Road

• Near End of Journey: A. L. Westgard's Transcontinental Trip Ends This Week at Los Angeles.
  ― Reprinted from The New York Times, 27 November 1910.
• Coast-to-Coast Tours in Favor: A. A. A. Outlines Route to Los Angeles
  ― Reprinted from The New York Times, 24 September 1911.

New Santa Fe Trail

• New Santa Fe Trail Now Crosses State of Kansas
  ― Reprinted from Motor Age, 10 March 1910, page 36.

National Old Trails Road

• The Boone’s Lick Road and Santa Fé Trail
  ― Reprinted from American Monthly, October 1911, page 185-187.
• New Highway Association Locates National Road
  ― Reprinted from Touring Topics, January 1912, page 7.
• Southern California Unites on Highway Recommendation to State Commission
  ― Reprinted from Touring Topics, February 1912, page 12-13.
• Western States Favor Good Roads
  ― Reprinted from The New York Times, February 4 1912.
• Nine States Work for Ocean-to-Ocean Route
  ― Reprinted from Touring Topics, July 1912, page 7.
• Los Angeles Raises Huge Highway Fund
  ― Reprinted from Touring Topics, November 1912, page 14-15.
• Object of San Diego-Phoenix Race by Col. Ed. Fletcher
  ― Reprinted from Touring Topics, December 1912, page 15-16.
• Ocean-to-Ocean Highway Route Best by G. W. Wilder
  ― Reprinted from Touring Topics, January 1913, page 13-15.
• Praises For Old Trails Sign System
  ― Reprinted from Touring Topics, December 1914, page 14-15.
• Organized Tour to Fairs Planned
  ― Reprinted from Horseless Age, 24 February 1915.
• To Run Joint Tour to Coast
  ― Reprinted from The New York Times, 7 March 1915.
• History Marks Old Road
  ― Reprinted from The New York Times, 25 April 1915.
• The National Old Trails Road: Perpetuating the Historic Highways of America's Pioneers―The Value of the Old Trails Road in the "See America" Movement by Charles Henry Davis, President of the National Highways Association
  ― Reprinted from Travel, May 1915, page 34.

Lincoln Highway

• Carving “L. H.” in the Salt Desert
  ― Reprinted from American Motorist, December 1918, page 8.
• Lincoln Highway Association
  ― Reprinted from Municipal Journal, 15 February 1919, page 140.
• Wyoming Makes Fine Lincoln Highway Building Record
  ― Reprinted from Popular Mechanics, June 1921, page 880.

Chicago, Kansas City & Gulf Highway

• Chicago, Kansas City and Gulf Highway
  ― Reprinted from Touring Topics, December 1914, page 15.

Dixie Highway

• Enthusiastic Over Dixie Highway
  ― Reprinted from Horseless Age, 17 March 1915.
• The Dixie Peaceway
  ― Reprinted from The New York Times, 4 April 1915.
• Governors To Control Chicago-Miami Road
  ― Reprinted from Horseless Age, 7 April 1915.
• Fights For Dixie Highway
  ― Reprinted from The New York Times, 10 April 1915.
• Mapping Out Dixie Highway Route
  ― Reprinted from Horseless Age, 14 April 1915.
• Advancing “Dixie Highway” Plans
  ― Reprinted from Horseless Age, 28 April 1915.
• Commissioners Select Dixie Highway Route
  ― Reprinted from Horseless Age, 26 May 1915.

National Parks Highway

• New Transcontinental Route Bids for Travel
  ― Reprinted from The New York Times, 7 January 1917.

California-Banff Bee Line

• Western Scenic Highway
  ― Reprinted from American Motorist, December 1919.

Custer Battlefield Hiway

• Custer Battlefield Highway
  ― Reprinted from American Motorist, December 1919.
• Along the Custer Highway
  ― Reprinted from Popular Mechanics, June 1921, page 844-845.

Magnolia Route

• Magnolia Route
  ― Reprinted from Kentucky New Era, 4 July 1924.

Arrowhead Trail

• Plan Another Desert Race
  ― Reprinted from The Automobile, 27 July 1916, page 164.
• A Visit to Little Zion Canyon: Utah’s Scenic Wonder
  ― Reprinted from American Motorist, 1 August 1916, page 7.
• Arrowhead Trail Joins Lincoln Road
  ― Reprinted from Automobile Topics, 2 December 1916, page 378.
• Easy Grades on Arrowhead Trail
  ― Reprinted from Motor Age, January 1917, page 102.
• Arrowhead Trail From Los Angeles to Salt Lake
  ― Reprinted from Motor West, 15 September 1917, page 9.
• Arrowhead Lamp Posts Mark the Arrowhead Trail
  ― Reprinted from Popular Science, December 1917, page 908.

El Camino Real, the Coast Route, and the Pacific Highway

• Pacific Highway Convention Meets in August
  ― Reprinted from Touring Topics, July 1912, page 17.

Dixie Overland Highway

• Dixie Overland Highway Formation
  ― Reprinted from The New York Times, 2 July 1914.
• Fletcher D-O President
  ― Reprinted from American Motorist, August 1919.
• Who Crows Here?
  ― Reprinted from American Motorist, September 1919.

Bankhead Highway

• The Bankhead Highway
  ― Reprinted from The New York Times, 9 September 1917.
• Bankhead Highway Loses Its Venerable President
  ― Reprinted from American Motorist, September 1919.
• Army Train Makes 30 Miles a Day - an article on the Bankhead Highway military motorcade
  ― Reprinted from American Motorist, November 1920, page 28.
• Bankhead Highway by Thomas McAdory Owen
  ― An entry from History of Alabama and Dictionary of Alabama Biography. Chicago, 1921. Page 90.

Lee Highway

• New Continental Route
  ― Reprinted from The New York Times, 8 January 1922.
• Great Lee Highway by Dr. S. M. Johnson
  ― Reprinted from The New York Times, 15 January 1922.
• President's Touch Will Weld Final Link in Lee Highway in S. D. Today
  ― Reprinted from the San Diego Union, 17 Nov 1923, page 1.
• President Marks End of Highway
  ― Reprinted from the San Diego Union, 18 Nov 1923, page 1.

The Borderland auto trails in Southern California

• San Diego Forms Highway Association
  ― Reprinted from Touring Topics, January 1912.
• Los Angeles Raises Huge Highway Fund (Mentions San Diego's transcontinental highway fund raising as well.)
  ― Reprinted from Touring Topics, November 1912, page 14-15.
• President's Touch Will Weld Final Link in Lee Highway in S. D. Today
  ― Reprinted from the San Diego Union, 17 Nov 1923, page 1.
• President Marks End of Highway
  ― Reprinted from the San Diego Union, 18 Nov 1923, page 1.

Los Angeles to Phoenix Road Races

• Road Race over the Desert
  ― Reprinted from The New York Times, 8 November 1908.
• Los Angeles to Phoenix
  ― Reprinted from Touring Topics, November 1909, page 12.
• Second Annual Phoenix Classic
  ― Reprinted from Touring Topics, December 1910, page 12.
• Many Entries for Los Angeles-Phoenix Race
  ― Reprinted from Touring Topics, October 1912, page 13-14.
• Franklin Wins Los Angeles-Phoenix Race
  ― Reprinted from Touring Topics, November 1912, page 16 and 20.
• Object of San Diego-Phoenix Race by Col. Ed. Fletcher
  ― Reprinted from Touring Topics, December 1912, page 15-16.
• Ocean-to-Ocean Highway Route Best by G. W. Wilder
  ― Reprinted from Touring Topics, January 1913, page 13-15.
• Report on the 1913 Los Angeles to Phoenix Road Race
  ― Reprinted from Touring Topics, November 1913, page 17.
• New Route for November Phoenix Race
  ― Reprinted from Touring Topics, October 1914, page 13-14.
• Crooks and Turns of Phoenix Course by Harry Locke
  ― Reprinted from Touring Topics, November 1914, page 8-10.
• Rain Reduces Time In Phoenix Race
  ― Reprinted from Touring Topics, December 1914, page 12-13.