13 replies to this topic

[Keep the Show on the Road!]

I have posted for American Roaders the 1925 Mohawk Hobbs Guide to the Dixie Highway. The Hobbs Guides are excellent sources for information on period road surface and grades, and give a nice sample of tourist facilities and services along the road. An overall map and smaller sectional maps are included.

The guide is pretty rough from a collector’s perspective. It looks like it was used on a trip, and then stored in a garage on top the oil cans. The back cover map was so soiled I had to clean it up digitally. But none the less, it shines as a great old road guide from the golden age of auto touring.

A couple of pages follow below to whet your interest.

Go to the HistoricalRoadMaps site and then to the list to find the Guide.

Comments, suggestions, and requests are welcome. You will have to be a member of the American Road forum to make a map request, but it is easy to sign up, and you will be joining a great group of folks.

Keep the Show on the Road!

[mobilene]

Fabulous! I'd like to drive it south from here today! But my employer might not like that.

[roadmaven]

Bravo!! Looking at the Indy info on there, it's interesting how a guide to the Dixie Highway tells you to avoid the Dixie and take a different route. In downtown Indy, it reads: "Going south, bear left on Madison Ave.; right for is the Dixie Highway, which is not so direct or desirable as the route we have charted to Louisville." I've often wondered what the story behind that DH-West alignment out of Indy is. It bows southwest from Indianapolis, then at Paoli you have to head southeast to Louisville for 40-some miles. Carl Fisher must've had some business interests in Bloomington or Bedford, I suppose...

[mobilene]

Wait... You mean the Dixie Highway guide sends people away from the Dixie Highway south of Indy? (insert puzzled look)

[roadmaven]

Wait... You mean the Dixie Highway guide sends people away from the Dixie Highway south of Indy? (insert puzzled look)

That's what I gather based on the map above. Even more odd, going to Keep's map site and finding page 8 of the map, it shows the route heading from Crawfordsville into Lebanon. I was of the understanding the DH-West alignment was the precursor to State Road 34, which was the precursor to US 136. Perhaps the map just took you on the best roads near the DH, providing the DH itself wasn't a good roadbed to travel on??? I'm sure someone will awaken from our three hour time zone difference and will be able to shed some light.

[DennyG]

...it's interesting how a guide to the Dixie Highway tells you to avoid the Dixie and take a different route.

From the guide:

The truth without fear or favor.

The Hobbs Guides are "independent" and not official DH Association publications.

Also from the guide:

Cincinnati, Ohio; Noted for its hospitality, music, and culture...

Some things never change

Until recently I was only marginally aware of the Hobbs guides but I'm becoming quite impressed with them. A number of other guides, such as The National Old Trails and Connections, are mentioned in the Dixie scans. Are some of these others included in the KtSotR collection?

[Keep the Show on the Road!]

From the guide:
The Hobbs Guides are "independent" and not official DH Association publications.

Also from the guide:
Some things never change

Until recently I was only marginally aware of the Hobbs guides but I'm becoming quite impressed with them. A number of other guides, such as The National Old Trails and Connections, are mentioned in the Dixie scans. Are some of these others included in the KtSotR collection?

Denny, Mobilene, Pat,

OK, the west coast is awake.

I think your answer to Pats question (and Mobilene’s exclamation) is the best I know. Hobbs was in the business of guiding drivers, not promoting road associations. As I recall, further south they outright recommend a road other than the Dixie as in better shape.

Do I have other Hobbs? Do dogs have fleas? I have the following at hand: Pacific Highway, National Old Trails, Bankhead, Old Spanish Trail, Shenandoah Valley, National Dixie Highway, Costal Highway, Mohawk Trail, Santa Fe Trail, and a few others in stacks somewhere.

Any preferences for the next addition?

Keep the Show on the Road!

[roadhound]

Do I have other Hobbs? Do dogs have fleas? I have the following at hand: Pacific Highway, National Old Trails, Bankhead, Old Spanish Trail, Shenandoah Valley, National Dixie Highway, Costal Highway, Mohawk Trail, Santa Fe Trail, and a few others in stacks somewhere.

Any preferences for the next addition?

Keep the Show on the Road!

Pacific Highway...no wait, Coastal Highway...no, no, Old Spanish Trail..no, on fourth thought, National Old Trails...wait, make it Pacific Highway. I can't decide. It's like being at a buffet with all of your favorite foods. Which dish do you want to pig out on first? They're all good.

Roadhound

[Keep the Show on the Road!]

Pacific Highway...no wait, Coastal Highway...no, no, Old Spanish Trail..no, on fourth thought, National Old Trails...wait, make it Pacific Highway. I can't decide. It's like being at a buffet with all of your favorite foods. Which dish do you want to pig out on first? They're all good.

Roadhound

OK, the next Hobbs will be the 1926 Pacific Highway, now known as Old 99, or perhaps US99, I am scanning a 1925 article about a trip along the Yellowstone Trail, and then I will get to the Hobbs Pacific Highway.

As a complete aside, have you looked at the UM Dublin Canyon shots? I was thinking that maybe the approximate locations could be determined today if you line up hills.

The sun has finally come out here after two weeks of *&%$*!!. That means I may yet get to do my Fall Columbia River Highway tour. That could delay postings....but something has got to give!

Keep the Show on the Road!

[roadhound]

As a complete aside, have you looked at the UM Dublin Canyon shots? I was thinking that maybe the approximate locations could be determined today if you line up hills.

Keep the Show on the Road!

There were three pictures that I found labeled as Dublin Canyon on the UM website. I do not believe that any of them were taken in Dublin Canyon and think that they were more likely in the east side of the Altamont Pass. I suspect that the Dublin Canyon area would have been much narrower with higher hills and some vegetation on the hillsides. Although that whole canyon has changed greatly I can't think of any spot along Dublin Canyon today that resembles those pictures.

Roadhound

[BabyBoomerBob]

That's what I gather based on the map above. Even more odd, going to Keep's map site and finding page 8 of the map, it shows the route heading from Crawfordsville into Lebanon. I was of the understanding the DH-West alignment was the precursor to State Road 34, which was the precursor to US 136. Perhaps the map just took you on the best roads near the DH, providing the DH itself wasn't a good roadbed to travel on??? I'm sure someone will awaken from our three hour time zone difference and will be able to shed some light.

Another interesting point. The route between Cincinnati and Lexington follows what is today US 27 and not US 25. As far as I know this was not ever a part of the Dixie Highway. But, of course, I don't have any way of knowing all the different alignments:)

[DennyG]

Another interesting point. The route between Cincinnati and Lexington follows what is today US 27 and not US 25. As far as I know this was not ever a part of the Dixie Highway. But, of course, I don't have any way of knowing all the different alignments:)

Hmmmm. I hadn't noticed that and it is certainly curious. Like you, I'm not aware of that ever being DH although we do know there were plenty of variations. The implication is that, in 1925, it was in better shape then what is now US-25. In 1920, my great-grandparents more or less followed the future US-25 between Cincinnati and Lexington. Granny didn't call it the Dixie Highway or any other name but they apparently thought it the best route at that time.

[ypsi-slim]

Hmmmm. I hadn't noticed that and it is certainly curious. Like you, I'm not aware of that ever being DH although we do know there were plenty of variations. The implication is that, in 1925, it was in better shape then what is now US-25. In 1920, my great-grandparents more or less followed the future US-25 between Cincinnati and Lexington. Granny didn't call it the Dixie Highway or any other name but they apparently thought it the best route at that time.

The pre US-25 routing between Cincinnati and Lexington was part of the Dixie Highway Eastern Route. The Dixie Highway had a parallel east and west route with plenty of loops, feeders and a dog-leg.
Here's a map from 1923:
http://www.us-highwa...imm/dhmap23.htm
Checkout the dog-leg from Chicago - Danville - Indianapolis, and the loop around Michigan's thumb.
I have other maps that show an even more complicated route including an east and west routing between
Sault Ste. Marie and St. Ignace.

The Dixie Highway Association was headquarted in Chatanooga, TN and unlike the Lincoln Highway Association never produced a route guide. The best bet is to get a Scarborough's Official Automobile Green Book for the Midwest states, from 1916 through 1924. Each of these volumes contains detailed descriptions for driving the DH in the Midwest States, AND a special blue-paged Dixie Highway section with the remaining descriptions for the South. These are a must have for DH touring. If anyone needs one let me know and I will keep a look out. You can usually get these for about $35 - $40 on ebay.

[Keep the Show on the Road!]

The pre US-25 routing between Cincinnati and Lexington was part of the Dixie Highway Eastern Route. The Dixie Highway had a parallel east and west route with plenty of loops, feeders and a dog-leg.
Here's a map from 1923:
http://www.us-highwa...imm/dhmap23.htm
Checkout the dog-leg from Chicago - Danville - Indianapolis, and the loop around Michigan's thumb.
I have other maps that show an even more complicated route including an east and west routing between
Sault Ste. Marie and St. Ignace.

The Dixie Highway Association was headquarted in Chatanooga, TN and unlike the Lincoln Highway Association never produced a route guide. The best bet is to get a Scarborough's Official Automobile Green Book for the Midwest states, from 1916 through 1924. Each of these volumes contains detailed descriptions for driving the DH in the Midwest States, AND a special blue-paged Dixie Highway section with the remaining descriptions for the South. These are a must have for DH touring. If anyone needs one let me know and I will keep a look out. You can usually get these for about $35 - $40 on ebay.

Ypsi,

Thanks for the expert information! Great stuff!!!

I did pick up a 1916 midwest Scarborough the other day, so it will now get special attention when it arrives!

Keep your eye out for another as I’m sure I’m not the only one interested!

Much appreciated counsel!

Keep the Show on the Road!

Dave