The finest and most imaginative road map covers were created in the 1930's and many owed their attractiveness to the art deco design movement. The best covers appeared on oil company maps, but a few general road maps had nice covers such as the Clason map.

In a way, the great depression encouraged automobile travel as people moved about the country looking for work. The migration of the Okies from the midwest to California along Highway 66 became part of auto folklore.

	1930 CLASON'S TOURING MAPS OHIO PENNSYLVANIA. This map is from The Clason Map Co. of Chicago and Denver as the cover says. One side of the map is Ohio and the other shows Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The 24 x 18 inch map folds into this 7.5 x 4 inch paper cover with the same picture of an Indian and car that appeared on Clason atlases. The map is undated but has R-202 in one corner. It likely dates 1928-32 by the Map Image .
	1931 HIGHWAY MAP AND GUIDE OF PENNSYLVANIA. This map by Mid-West Map Company has code R15E, and so is dated 1931.
	1932 HIGHWAY MAP 1932 AUTHENTIC ROAD INFORMATION. This map was made for an insurance company as the cover says and was engraved and printed by The Whitney-Graham Co. of Buffalo. However, it also says copyright General Drafting Co. which seems confusing. The title cartouche is shown in this Map Image . The map also includes most of New York and New Jersey. The verso has a map of the northeast.
	1933 AAA. This map includes New Jersey per usual. This is one of the nicer AAA covers, even they had nice covers in the 30's. The map is undated but can be dated 1933 by reference to 'next issue in spring 34.'
	1934 PITTSBURGH MOTOR CLUB - RAND MCNALLY. Inside this orange cover is a large 34 x 26 inch map titled Rand McNally Auto Road Map of Northeastern United States.
	1935 US 6, THE ROOSEVELT HIGHWAY, a map from the Eureka Specialty Printing Co. of Scranton. This is a 22 page undated folder with a strip map of Route 6 across northern Pennsylvania, a route that goes clear across the country. The dating of this map is uncertain but is likely 1935-40. It has 1930 census data and the turnpike is not shown.
	1936 PITTSBURGH AND SUBURBS MAP BY WAGNER REVISED. The Wagner Company was from Cincinnati and the map was issued in 1920 and revised in 1936. The large 36 x 28 inch map folds into this 8 x 4.5 inch paper cover to which it is attached. There is a street locator of several pages and it has a Rosenbaum Department Store price tag. That ought to bring back memories to old time Pittsburghers.
	1937 SEARS - MID WEST MAP CO. This map includes New Jersey. It is undated but has 1930 census data and cars around the border as shown by the Map Image , characteristic of the 1937 Mid-West map.
	1938 ROAD MAP OF PENNSYLVANIA. The Pittsburgh Motor Club was the local branch of the AAA and is believed to be the successor to the Automobile Club of Pittsburgh, identified on earlier maps. It seems like this map should be marked AAA somewhere, but it is not, so the club must have become affliated later.
	1939 AAA. The map includes New Jersey. It is undated but refers to next issue in spring 1940. A black cover is carrying art deco just a little too far.