Keep the Show on the Road! Posted October 28, 2007 Report Share Posted October 28, 2007 Ever wonder what the roads were like when a couple of us were "youngings?" This 1937 movie of road conditions predates by a few years even the oldest of us, but the roads of 1937 were the roads of 1945 as well..cause a big war came in between. These are the roads when I was a kid, and I know a couple of others here who can say the same! 1937 Road Movie at Archive.org Keep the Show on the Road! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobilene Posted October 29, 2007 Report Share Posted October 29, 2007 Very cool!!! Last time I was at the Archive, they didn't have the built-in player, which was a welcome addition. Loved the yellow stop sign at 2:13. I remember bad dirt roads like those in this film -- from my time in southwestern Michigan in the 70s. jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Burr - hester_nec Posted October 29, 2007 Report Share Posted October 29, 2007 Ever wonder what the roads were like when a couple of us were "youngings?" This 1937 movie of road conditions predates by a few years even the oldest of us, but the roads of 1937 were the roads of 1945 as well..cause a big war came in between. These are the roads when I was a kid, and I know a couple of others here who can say the same! 1937 Road Movie at Archive.org Keep the Show on the Road! Now, Now - You can't really say this "predates by a few years even the oldest of us............." , except for the wagons. I'm 70 years old myself , and yes, the roads weren't much more improved by 1945 - tho a lot more were paved. In actuallity a lot of roads got improved because of the war. The many, many training and other military bases that were built between 1940 and 1944, 1945, had to have access to decent highways, as did cross-country convoys. Railroads played a big part in that too. Interesting look back tho. Hudsonly, Alex Burr Memphis, TN. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keep the Show on the Road! Posted October 29, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2007 Now, Now - You can't really say this "predates by a few years even the oldest of us............." , except for the wagons. I'm 70 years old myself , and yes, the roads weren't much more improved by 1945 - tho a lot more were paved. In actuallity a lot of roads got improved because of the war. The many, many training and other military bases that were built between 1940 and 1944, 1945, had to have access to decent highways, as did cross-country convoys. Railroads played a big part in that too. Interesting look back tho. Hudsonly, Alex Burr Memphis, TN. I stand corrected....by the ole sage himself! So this movie shows the roads as Alex saw them!!!. I am much much younger! Seriously, the two lane roads in the movie do look like I remembered them, with the concrete split in the middle and the white posts for guard rails. Note the absence of white lines in many cases. Keep the Show on the Road! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobilene Posted October 29, 2007 Report Share Posted October 29, 2007 Seriously, the two lane roads in the movie do look like I remembered them, with the concrete split in the middle and the white posts for guard rails. Note the absence of white lines in many cases. Who needs a stripe up the middle? The crack in the cement does the job! While driving at night, I live by the white line on the edge of the road. Especially in the rain. I honestly think I'd have to stay home at night if there were no white lines. I recently saw a 1939 photo of an Indiana numbered state road in Posey County that had no lines on it whatsoever. Seems odd to me, but I guess a paved road out in the sticks might have been a big deal then. Stripes were unheard of luxury. jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityboy1986 Posted October 29, 2007 Report Share Posted October 29, 2007 Thanks for posting this! Mississippi has very few remnants of roads from this era. Most of the brick and concrete roads have a few layers of pavement on top of them. The major exception to this is the Delta, where highways are still regularly paved with concrete. During my first year of college, U.S. 11 between Lumberton and Poplarville was still concrete, but it was paved over with asphault. Some concrete roads can be found in other areas of the state; I know of two sections west of Meridian on old U.S. 80. Dirt and gravel roads are still common (thankfully, not for highways); one near here with several 90 degree turns has an exit on the expressway! Many paved country roads in this state still do not have lines, centre or otherwise. Until 911 and the naming of roads in the rural areas, some didn't even have stop signs, only gaining one when a road designation sign was placed on a stop sign. Dig the stop sign at 5:40. Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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