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Celebrating our two-lane highways of yesteryear…And the joys of driving them today!

1916 Lake Tahoe, Reno, Carson City Map


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This is a highly compressed and cropped copy of a hard-to-find or rare original map in my collection. It was printed by the Automobile Club of Southern California (ACSC), copyright 1916.

 

Besides Lake Tahoe and the towns of Reno, Carson City, Genoa, etc. note the roads into the Sierra in 1916. The road between Carson City and Glenbrook (the route of today’s US50) appears to have followed what is today labeled Old Clear Creek Rd. Dagget’s Pass on the old map is today’s Kingbury Grade, built in the early 1860’s, primarily to carry the wagon traffic between Virginia City, NV and points west in California. The furthest south pass shown is today’s Luther Pass Road. A segment of the Lincoln Highway is also shown.

 

If an active forum member needs a better copy, just ask. This copy is reproduced to accompany Sierra Fox’s planned trip this Fall, and to entertain his Grandpa.

 

ARReno1916.png

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

 

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Thanks for sharing Dave!

 

I just love these old maps. It makes me feel sort of bad for the folks a few generations from now - I don't think GPS units will feel quite as nostalgic as one of these old maps. Although, maybe I'm wrong. . . the first computers aren't quite the same as those we have now!

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The road between Carson City and Glenbrook (the route of today’s US50) appears to have followed what is today labeled Old Clear Creek Rd.

Thanks to your post, I spent time yesterday looking up the Kings Canyon Road alignment and found a paper about it that discusses its history and mentions the Lincoln Highway routing.

 

Chris

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Thanks to your post, I spent time yesterday looking up the Kings Canyon Road alignment and found a paper about it that discusses its history and mentions the Lincoln Highway routing.

 

Chris

 

Chris,

 

First, thanks for the comeback! That is a terrific essay!

 

Did you notice that apparently the Clear Creek alignment (built about 1875) was the second of three (original, Clear Creek, US50). Since the essay says the US50 alignment was built in 1928, that means the early Lincoln Highway took the Clear Creek alignment.

 

The car count was also fascinating. Fifty cars a day in the peak travel season in 1915, the year before my map! Given 12 hours of daylight, that means 4 cars an hour. Counts in 2007 ran 12,000 daily (average) over the whole year!!!

 

I have at least a couple hundred of these old strip maps, and each one has a story to tell. Your information really added to the tale! Thanks again!!

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

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Thanks for sharing Dave!

 

I just love these old maps. It makes me feel sort of bad for the folks a few generations from now - I don't think GPS units will feel quite as nostalgic as one of these old maps. Although, maybe I'm wrong. . . the first computers aren't quite the same as those we have now!

 

Becky,

 

Thanks for the reply!

 

I am in awe of what we can do with Google Earth and Bing (Virtual) Earth, and my Delorme maps are gold. And I travel with two GPS devices, one attached to the netbook where I have Delorme Topo running, and one hand held. These are truly “real time” instant maps.

 

In many ways the old maps were like story books. The settlement names were often of the people who lived beside the road, the buildings were so sparse, you could count each one as a black square, each bridge was marked, schoolhouses were identified, even barns and windmills show up. And of course you could determine where you could buy gas and meals, or get water.

 

As far as the old computers are concerned, I worked as an IBM "data processing representative" in the very early 1960's, the days of the "big iron." Believe me, the artifacts from those days are treasured today. And if you want nostalgia for the 1401, 1440, 1620, etc, or the old punch card machines, I can provide loads! :rolleyes:

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

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Dave,

 

Is it possible to post the other part of the map? I am particularly interested in the route west of Verdi and where it ends up.

 

Chris,

 

Thanks for posting that article. Another old road added to my list of "must drives."

 

Rick

 

Rick,

 

All is possible! This map only goes to Truckee. I have others of the same date (1916) that go further west.

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

 

ARTruckee.png

 

 

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Rick,

 

All is possible! This map only goes to Truckee. I have others of the same date (1916) that go further west.

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

 

http://www.pair.com/davepaul/americanroad/ARTruckee.png

 

Thanks Dave, I'm relatively certain that the road shown on the mapt between Verdi and Truckee is the original route of the Lincoln. Brian Butko's "Lincoln Highway Companion" shows the original road to follow Henness Pass Road west out of Verdi and then Dog Valley Rd. into Truckee. With the exception of the two reservoirs that have been built since then it looks like the route is still in place.

 

BTW, page 27 and 48 in Brian's latest Lincoln book are worth a close look. ;)

 

Roadhound

 

 

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Dave, your map collection is nothing short of amazing. Every time you post one, I want to drop what I'm doing, fly west, and go see which of those roads are still there!! jim

 

Jim,

 

Of course we in the west would welcome you anytime. Recognizing that we can’t always jump in the car and head out, I commend this map set, including those yet to be posted, as covering one of the most interesting routes in the west.

 

I have traveled US395 off and on for 50 years, and still find it fascinating. Beyond the amazing beauty of the “east side” as I call it, the road itself is fascinating. In addition to the Lincoln Highway connection, the majority of the route was part of the Midland Trail.

 

If you have a minute, pull up Google Earth and do the Historic Topographical Maps overlay for the area around Mono Lake and southward. You aren’t the only one who is ready to jump in the car!

 

I have to do a little “philosophizing” as is my privilege as a “well seasoned” (or is it “many seasoned” :D ) citizen. Do it while you can! As the September and October of my life roll around, I can say I don’t regret even one dollar spent “on the road.”

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road

 

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I have to say, Dave, that many of my road trips over the past two years have been inspired by similar "take the road trip while you can" comments you've made. I'm still in that rebuilding stage of my life, and its demands frequently keep me off the road, but I still work to manage as many as possible.

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I have to say, Dave, that many of my road trips over the past two years have been inspired by similar "take the road trip while you can" comments you've made. I'm still in that rebuilding stage of my life, and its demands frequently keep me off the road, but I still work to manage as many as possible.

 

Jim,

 

I appreciate your situation! Been there, done that (twice :( ), so believe me I understand. The free advice I offer is only worth its price, and I should take it myself :blink: . And you have been a prolific road explorer and reporter, so much so that I am a little envious.

 

My unsolicited counsel is better addressed to the hundreds who may read our comments, and haven’t realized that there are so many roads, and so little time. And something I didn’t appreciate at the time he said it 20 years ago, but my father in law said “You better do it while you still want to”.

 

It never occurred to me that one day I might not “want” to drive 500 miles to follow an abandoned alignment……that maybe my easy chair, deck lounge, lake, and home comforts would compete with the road adventure spirit. That didn’t seem possible at 40, but as I close in on my 70th year, it does.

 

I’m trying to get the umph up to complete the National Parks Highway blazing I set out to do in May, so encourage me! And I would like to do the Monumental Highway, and finish Dolph's story.

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road

 

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Jim,

 

I appreciate your situation! Been there, done that (twice :( ), so believe me I understand. The free advice I offer is only worth its price, and I should take it myself :blink: . And you have been a prolific road explorer and reporter, so much so that I am a little envious.

 

My unsolicited counsel is better addressed to the hundreds who may read our comments, and haven’t realized that there are so many roads, and so little time. And something I didn’t appreciate at the time he said it 20 years ago, but my father in law said “You better do it while you still want to”.

 

It never occurred to me that one day I might not “want” to drive 500 miles to follow an abandoned alignment……that maybe my easy chair, deck lounge, lake, and home comforts would compete with the road adventure spirit. That didn’t seem possible at 40, but as I close in on my 70th year, it does.

 

I’m trying to get the umph up to complete the National Parks Highway blazing I set out to do in May, so encourage me! And I would like to do the Monumental Highway, and finish Dolph's story.

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road

 

Dave, Another word of advice that you offered up to me once was not to forget to take pictures of your traveling companions. I have to constantly remind myself of that every time I travel. We all know that the journey is often more important than the destination and who you travel with and meet along the way are most important of all. I have many regrets of road trips where I got so wrapped up in capturing the scenery passing by that I forgot all about those that were there with me.

 

 

 

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Dave, Another word of advice that you offered up to me once was not to forget to take pictures of your traveling companions. I have to constantly remind myself of that every time I travel. We all know that the journey is often more important than the destination and who you travel with and meet along the way are most important of all. I have many regrets of road trips where I got so wrapped up in capturing the scenery passing by that I forgot all about those that were there with me.

 

Rick,

 

Sage advice!! And I promise if you want anyone to look at the photos 25 years from now, they better be in them! ;):lol:

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

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Dave, Another word of advice that you offered up to me once was not to forget to take pictures of your traveling companions. I have to constantly remind myself of that every time I travel. We all know that the journey is often more important than the destination and who you travel with and meet along the way are most important of all. I have many regrets of road trips where I got so wrapped up in capturing the scenery passing by that I forgot all about those that were there with me.

 

Thanks Rick

 

Very good advice indeed. This trip to Yosimite, call it the second leg of my adventure, i've planned around a couple buddy's of mine, past roommates and neighbors, Kevin, is a brilliant mind who loves the mapping out of these trips and has a map of what he called "squiggs" that mark out the different routes traveled and more importantly, the ones yet to be traveled. I've asked him to find us some back roads also, combine that with Dave and Ricks suggestions, we're in for a treat. The other road dog is Chris, who's getting along in years and was Kev's and my neighbor for quite some time, he has bad feet so i've made the trip more attractive to him by keeping it close to the hwy and minimal hiking. The trips are just better when shared with someone, i'm doing this year w/out my wife, first time in 5 years, kinda strange, but it's gonna be great.

 

Kev, if you read this, be prepared to have your mug shot shot on several occasions :D

 

Are we there yet???

 

SF

Edited by Sierra Fox
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Great map and article, thanks for posting! Denny G and I were just debating yesterday whether his Corvette could handle Kings Canyon Road, and I think not due to low clearance. But scanning the web, the 9-mile stretch does seem to have been greatly cleared and improved in recent years so that it can be safely hiked and biked, or 4WD'd. I'll post a story and links soon on LH News.

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Yeah, you guys almost got me in a heap of trouble. I'd written off the Grade but I was right down the road (Tahoe) when I caught this discussion and it put dangerous thoughts in my head. An exchange with Brian verified that it would be a great place to see but also verified that I was short a couple of drive wheels and a considerable amount of ground clearance. I wanted to make some response to this thread yesterday but rushed out the door instead. I knew you'd understand :)

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Yeah, you guys almost got me in a heap of trouble. I'd written off the Grade but I was right down the road (Tahoe) when I caught this discussion and it put dangerous thoughts in my head. An exchange with Brian verified that it would be a great place to see but also verified that I was short a couple of drive wheels and a considerable amount of ground clearance. I wanted to make some response to this thread yesterday but rushed out the door instead. I knew you'd understand :)

 

Denny,

 

I wondered if maybe you weren't about ready to cross the Sierra when I posted this. I am still back where you are visiting a brothel....for a beer.

 

For anyone following this thread, Denny is on the Lincoln, headed west. He is posting his daily reports. The latest is here .

 

http://www.dennygibson.com/lhwest09/day11/index.htm

 

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

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