Connecticut Highways
PublisherPublished by
Connecticut State Highway Department
(American, 1895 - 1969)
PrinterPrinted by
General Drafting Company
(American, 1930 - 1992)
PublisherPublished by
State Board of Fisheries and Game
(American, 1913 - 1971)
PublisherPublished by
Connecticut Development Commission
(American, founded 1939)
PublisherPublished by
State Park and Forest Commission
(American, 1921 - 1971)
Date1949
MediumOffset lithography; black and colored inks on paper
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (image height x width): 22 7/8 x 30 7/8in. (58.1 x 78.4cm)
Sheet (height x width): 23 1/2 x 31 1/2in. (59.7 x 80cm)
ClassificationsGraphics
Credit LineConnecticut Museum of Culture and History collection
Object number2012.312.109
DescriptionMap of the state of Connecticut, with the border of Massachusetts to the north, the border of Rhode Island to the east, the Long Island Sound to the south, and the border of New York to the west. To the left of the map, the legend provides explanations for the depiction of roads, railroads and hiking trails; population centers; state, county and town boundaries; state parks and forests, hunting, fishing and skiing areas; and various elements of infrastructure. A place name index and list of public recreation areas appear below the map. The cartouche, located in the bottom right corner, shows a variety of Connecticut-related scenes, including the State Capitol building, the state bird and flower, people enjoying the outdoors, and cars on a highway.
There are seven inset maps on the verso, depicting New Haven, Bridgeport, Hartford, Waterbury, Danbury, Norwich and New London. In the top left corner is a guide to highway signs, and next to it is a table showing distances between various cities in Connecticut and the area. The bottom portion of the verso contains eight black and white photographs illustrating a written piece called "Connecticut Parkways and Expressways," which describes the history and features of the parkways and expressways system.
There are seven inset maps on the verso, depicting New Haven, Bridgeport, Hartford, Waterbury, Danbury, Norwich and New London. In the top left corner is a guide to highway signs, and next to it is a table showing distances between various cities in Connecticut and the area. The bottom portion of the verso contains eight black and white photographs illustrating a written piece called "Connecticut Parkways and Expressways," which describes the history and features of the parkways and expressways system.
Label TextThe text on the back of the 1949 map extols Connecticut's parkways and expressways. Before the construction of the Interstate highways, which began in the 1950s, state and federal highways of the day still snaked their way through towns and cities, and limited-access parkways such as the Merritt Parkway and the Wilbur Cross Parkway provided travelers with hassle-free routes from place to place. However, even these roads, according to the text, were a far cry from the "narrow, primitive roads of fifty years ago, which were muddy in wet weather and dusty when dry--and always rough and rutted." The Connecticut Highway Department was clearly proud of its achievements.
NotesCartographic Note: Scale: 13/4 inches equals 5 milesStatus
Not on view
Connecticut State Highway Department
1934
Connecticut State Highway Department
1927
