Historic Trail and Survey Photographs

Early 20th-century photographs documenting various trails and surveys. Includes regions across the U.S. showcasing transportation and landscape.

Whatever He Did He Did Well, So It Followed That His Surveys Were the Best That Could Be Made. Original caption: Whatever he did he did well - So it followed that his surveys were the best that could be made - Washington by Lucy Foster Madison - 1925 - p. 69.

Imperial County Helped Through Sandy Wash on to Mesa, 7 Miles Northwest of Yuma. Original caption: Imperial CO. Helped through sandy wash on to Mesa, & miles northwest of Yuma. Sandy Trail. Nov. 20, 1911. A. L. Westgard. State: California Place: Yuma.

Chile. Original caption: Photograph taken by Mr. McDonald. State: Chile.

Fort George, Oregon, 1845. Original caption: Fort George, Oregon, 1845. A later name of Astoria-1st Astoria, Pacific Fur Co. 2nd Fort George when purchased by Northwest Fur Co; Eng; 3rd Hudson Bay Co. (Eng.); 4th back to Astoria (Amer.) Birch bark canoe of the north Arctic. Old print. Photo taken from Signal Corps, War Department. copied by H. H. Ritter - April 1938. State: Oregon.

Whatever He Did He Did Well, So It Followed That His Surveys Were the Best That Could Be Made. Original caption: Whatever he did he did well - So it followed that his surveys were the best that could be made - Washington by Lucy Foster Madison - 1925 - p. 69.

Lackawanna Trail in Pennsylvania - Portland Cement Association. Original caption: Lackawanna Trail in Pennsylvania - Portland Cement Association. Oct. 1923. State: Pennsylvania. Place: Wyoming County.

Typical Topography and Alignment on U.S. #30 Between St. Helena and Astoria on the Lower Columbia River. Original caption: Typical topography and alignment on U.S. #30 between St. Helena and Astoria on the lower Columbia River. Sent in by H. E. Mitchell with letter of March 28, 1938. State: Oregon.

Demonstration of Blake Stone Crusher. Original caption: Demonstration of Blake Stone Crusher, about 1875 - Copied from Civil Engineering November 1938 Page 786.

Three Crossings Station on the Sweetwater, Frequently Mentioned in Stories of the Pony Express. Original caption: P. 154 - "The Pony Express Goes Through," by Howard R. Driggs, illustrated by William H. Jackson, New York - 1935.

Mexican Arrieros with an Atajo of Pack-mules. Original caption: Opp. P 182 - Commerce of the Prairies or The Journal of a Santa Fe Trader by Josiah Gregg - Vol 1 - New York 1845 - Geological Survey Library. State: Mexico.

Settlers of Connecticut. Original caption: From page 34- A History of Travel in America - Vol. 1 by Seymour Dunbar. State: Connecticut.

Bituminous surface widened with concrete shoulders, Baltimore Pike. Original caption: FAP 6. J. K. Hillers, 1921. State: Maryland. Place: Baltimore.

Old road badly eroded in Gibson County Tennessee. Original caption: Gibson Co. Bradford road 1-1/ 2 miles N.E. of town showing new and old road location. Old road badly eroded. April 8, 1910. M. O. Eldridge. State: Tennessee. Place: Trenton.

Fort Laramie, Post As It Appeared in 1868, Acquired By the Government in 1849 As a Military Post and Abandoned in 1890. Original caption: #269 - Fort Laramie. Post as it appeared in 1868. Acquired by the government in 1849 as a military post and abandoned in 1890. By Wm. H. Jackson (The Hayden Survey 1867-1879). State: Wyoming.

Post Road, Smith's School Road. Original caption: Post Road. Smith's School road, where it leaves the old National Highway, 3 1/2 miles west of the city limits of Zanesville. County road, maintenance of which has been discontinued. W. E. Rosengarten. Nov. 25, 1913. Signpost reads, "Notice: Any Persons Traveling This Road Do So At Their Own Risk. By Order Of Trustees." State: Ohio Place: Muskingum County.

FAP 245-B, La Junta - Las Animas, Looking East. Original caption: FAP 245-B. La Junta - Las Animas November 18, 1932. Looking east. State: Colorado.

Colombia. State: Colombia.

Village of Catskill. Original caption: "Village of Catskill" from p. 79 - American Scenery by N. R. Willis - Illustrated in a series of view by W. H. Bartlett. London - Published for the Proprietors by Geo, Virtue 26 Ivy Lane - 1839. Copied by R. H. Ritter March 1938. In French published in Paris, France in 1840. State: New York Place: Catskill.

Discovery of the Mississippi. Original caption: Discovery of the Mississippi. Library of Congress - Copied by H. H. Ritter - March 1938.

Completed surface treatment placed on primed base, Placing choker screenings on open graded mat in foreground and mixing dense graded mat in distance. Original caption: 39-3813 - Report of Highway Activities in Colombia South America - 1939. Taken by Worth D. Ross. Completed surface treatment placed on primed base. Original caption: 39-3814 - Placing choker screenings on open graded mat in foreground and mixing dense graded mat in distance. State: Colombia.

Mile 8 Headquarters. Original caption: Mile 8 Headquarters U.S. Public Roads Administration. Photo by Pinkstaff, April 9, 1943. State: Alaska.

U.S. Route 40, Fifteen Miles West of Carlin, Nevada. Original caption: U.S. Route 40, fifteen miles west of Carlin, Nevada. Photos by T. W. Kines. State: Nevada. Place: Carlin.

Chief City in a District Formerly Rich in Timber. Original caption: Chief City in a District formerly rich in timber. State: China.

San Francisco, California, 1846-7. From Library of Congress Division of Prints. State: California.

Plat of a Survey For Richard Barnes. Original caption: Plat of a survey for Richard Barnes. Gent-Journal of My Journey Over the Mountains in 1747-8 by G. Washington - Edited by J. M. Toner. P 79.

Trinity N.F.R. Original caption: Trinity N.F.R. Dr. Hewes. State: California.

"Toll" -- and He Spent His Last Cent For Carriage Hire. Original caption: "Toll" -- and he spent his last cent for carriage hire. Harper's Weekly, N. Y. August 19, 1911, page 20.

FAP 113, Descriptive Timber Plaque at Center of Landscape Area. Original caption: FAP 113 - Descriptive Timber Plaque at Center of Landscape area. Lettering burned into cedar planks. State: Washington Place: Cedar Creek.

Laguna Indian Pueblo, Rocky Road. Original caption: Indian Village - A L Westgard - 1911. Laguna Indian Pueblo. Rocky road. Nov. 8, 1911. A. L. Westgard. State: New Mexico Place: Valencia Co.

A Roman Attack on a Town. Original caption: From-Latin Book Two, Scott, Foresman and Company, New York, 1937.

Station 2660 on Kingman-Boulder Dam Road. Original caption: Station 2660 showing finished roadway on Kingman-Boulder Dam Road on Federal Lands Project 2-B 2/15/35. State: Arizona. Place: Mohave County.

A Close Call. Original caption: "A Close Call" by Charles Schreyvogel - from the Library of Congress - Copied by H. H. Ritter - April 1938.

Ten Miles West of Philadelphia. N. Y. to Atlanta Trip. State: Pennsylvania Place: Lancaster Pike.

Caroline County and Washington County. Original caption (39-4607): Photographs made by Dean Johnson of the University of Maryland in 1898. Caroline County - Approach to Dover Bridge over Choptank River. Road built over a marsh. A. N. Johnson - October 7, 1898. Original caption (39-4608): Washington County - Baltimore-Cumberland Road just east of Boonesboro showing dirt roads each side of pike which is from 2' - 4' above them in places. Limestone pike. A. N. Johnson - August 6, 1898. State: Maryland.

Typical Federal-Aid secondary road in Mississippi. State: Mississippi.

Model of Nantucket, Massachusetts, Fish Cart. Original caption: National Museum. Model of Nantucket (Mass.) fish cart. Large barrel takes place of wheel. Used in sandy region. State: Washington, D.C.

Project S-25(1). Original caption: Construction sign erected at the beginning of project S-25(1). State: Puerto Rico. Place: Trujillo Alto-Gurabo Road.

Turnout area on US 17, 8 miles south of Hardeeville, South Carolina. Original caption: Photo by T. W. Kines, February 1951. State: South Carolina.

13th & K Street N.W; 14th Street Near Constitution Avenue. Original caption: 40-2742: 13th & K Street N.W. J. K. Hillers. Original caption: 40-2743: Looking south on 14th Street near the intersection of Constitution Ave. between the Dept. of Commerce and the Dept. of Labor Bldgs. 4:45 P.M. State: DC. Place: Washington.

Messrs. Carson, Green and Schimberg at mile J-25; Provincial road near British Columbia-Alberta border, about 40 miles south of Dawson Creek. Original caption: 43-3174 - (figure 85) Messrs. Carson, Greene and Schimberg at mile J-25, where we stopped to inspect leaking gas tank which we tried, with varying success, to plug with matches, sticks, chewing gum, and soap. October 31, 1943. Original caption: 43-3175 - (figure 86) Provincial road near British Columbia-Alberta border, about 40 miles south of Dawson Creek. The road between Dawson Creek and Edmonton was extremely rough in numerous places. November 3, 1943. State: Alaska.

Prints Received with Consular Reports. Original caption: Prints rec'd with Consular Reports. State: China. Place: Singapore, Malay Peninsula.

Seattle, Washington Territory. Original caption: Seattle - Washington Territory - "The Mediterranean of the Pacific" - Harpers New Monthly Magazine - June-Nov. 1870.Vol. 41 p. 491. State: Washington Place: Seattle.

Secondary Roads, Appian Way in the Pontine Marshes. Original caption: Set of 66 - - No. 18. Les Traraux Publics Les Mines - Et La Metallurgie Aux Temps - Des Romains -- Atlas by Alfred Leger -- Paris -- 1875 -- Plate III -- Voies Romaines. Fig. 7. Voies secondaires ou vicinales.

Axenstrasse road. State: Switzerland. Place: Axenstrasse.

Mountainair Road. Original caption: 3 miles west of Willard - Mountainair Road. Gravel. Quarai Pueblo Ruins near Agua Punta. This is one of the Pueblos which have been called "the Pueblos which died of fear" as they were destroyed by the Apaches. Wheeler 8/16/24. State: New Mexico Place: Torrance.

Eighteen Year Old Granite Block Pavement in Worcester, Massachusetts. Original caption: Main street showing Granite Block pavement is 18 years old. Excellent condition. P. H. Jackson 1919. State: Massachusetts. Place: Worcester.

View on Snake River, August 15th 1849. Original caption: "View on Snake river Aug. 15th 1849." - From page 240-241 Senate Executive Documents, Vol. 1 Copied by H. H. Ritter - April 1938. State: Oregon.

Chicago in 1820. Original caption: Chicago in 1820 from Pictorial History of Chicago published by Chicago Historical Society - 1930. State: Illinois.

San Vito Near Turin. Original caption: Looking down from hill at San Vito near Turin. F. Lamson Scribner. April 27, 1911. State: Italy. Place: Turin.

Dowell Construction Company. Original caption: Dowell Construction Company Headquartewrs-row of tents for transients. Section C. State: Alaska.

Metcalf's House at Spofforth. Original caption: Metcalf: House at Spofforth, "Lives of the Engineers" by Samuel Smiles - Vol. I - London 1861.

Metcalf's Birthplace, Knaresborough. Original caption: Metcalf: Birthplace Knaresborough, "Lives of the Engineers" by Samuel Smiles - Vol. I - London 1861.

Pioneer Life in the West. Original caption: Pioneer life in the west. P. 115 vol. 1. A history of travel in America by Seymour Dunbar B.P.R. Library.

State Route 15, 3 miles north of Warren. State: Arkansas. Place: Bradley County.

Japanese View. State: Japan.

Steerage Rock on the Line of Old Trail from Boston to Springfield. Original caption: Steerage rock on the line of old trail from Boston to Springfield. Copied by Block at request of Geo. S. Ladd. May 24, 1913. State: Massachusetts Place: Brimfield.

Diagonal Blow-up. Original caption: South of Four Mile Fork on Spotsylvania Court House Road, FAP 205, showing diagonal blow-up. June 14, 1933. State: Virginia.

Franklin As Postmaster For the Colonies and His Daughter Making a Tour of Inspection of the Post Offices North of Philadelphia. Original caption: Franklin as postmaster for the colonies and his daughter making a tour of inspection of the post offices north of Philadelphia. On the return journey his daughter rode horseback nearly all the way from Rhode Island to Philadelphia.

Hollowayville-Seatonville earth road washout, Bureau county, Illinois. Original caption: Hollowayville-Seatonville. Earth Road. 3/29/1938 at Seatonville. Looking E. Note wash.F.A.P. 572-A. State: Illinois. Place: Bureau County.

Old Cumberland Road. Original caption: Old Cumberland Road. Copied by Mr. Block. April 24, 1912. State: Maryland Place: Near Frostburg.

Restaurant in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Original caption: Photo by T. W. Kines, Sept. 1, 1948. State: New Mexico. Place: Albuquerque.

Physiographic Subdivisions of Pennsylvania. Original caption: Physiographic subdivisions of Pennsylvania. From "The Scenery of Pennsylvania" by George H. Ashley, Topographic and Geologic Survey, Bulletin G6, 1933, page 3. State: Pennsylvania.

Explosion in Flour mill in Minneapolis 1878. Original caption: Explosion in Flour mill in 1878. C. H. Hoyt. State: Minnesota. Place: Minneapolis.

Through the Wheatfields on the New Section of Highway Immediately West of Pendleton. Original caption: Through the wheatfields on the new section of highway immediately west of Pendleton. Sent in by H. E. Mitchell with letter of March 28, 1938. State: Oregon.

The Indian Reservation. Original caption: "The Indian reservation" by Chas. Schreyvogel from the Library of Congress - Copied by H. H. Ritter - April 1938.

Roads Build by Lundeen Company at Mile 1460 and 1457. Original caption: 44-546: Facing East along the road build by Lindeen toward Niggerhead Creek. At the extreme left may be seen a small section of the Army road. This photo shows the distance that the construction party build the new road from the Army road at this point in the middle of the huge swamp east of Beaver Creek. Section B2, mile 1460. Original caption: 44-547: Facing west along the road constructed by Lundeen. See 18W 927 for a view of the Army road in Aug. 1943 at this poimt. Section B2, mile 1457. Photos by Pinkstaff, Oct. 23, 1943. State: Alaska.

FAP 2, Marker Atop Raton Pass on Colorado-new Mexico Line. Original caption: FAP 2, Marker atop Raton Pass on Colorado-New Mexico Line. Taken January 10 & 11, 1939. State: Colorado.

Roman Pile Driver. Original caption: Roman pile driver. Italian translation of Vitruvius' works. Rusconi (G. A.) Della Archittetura.

Portland Cement Concrete Pavement on Lower Columbia River East of Astoria. Original caption: Portland cement concrete pavement on lower Columbia River east of Astoria. Sent in by H. E. Mitchell with letter of March 28, 1938. State: Oregon.

Cracks in Soil Road. State: Georgia.

Old Painted Hieroglyphics on Rock. Original caption: Painted rock. Showing old painted hieroglyphics on rock supposed to date back to a prehistoric race. Fauntleroy 1921. State: Texas Place: Concho Co.

View of washout under flume on backslope left of station 1256-50, Minnesota. Original caption: View of washout under flume onbackslope left of station 1256-50. State: Minnesota.

Santa Fe Trail Marker at Colorado-Kansas State Line, 100 Feet North of Centerline of U.S. Route 50. State: Colorado.

E. F. Allen During Filming of "Travelers Toll". Original caption: E. F. Allen Taken during filming of "Wheels of Progress" - "Travelers Toll." J. K. Hillers - 1927. State: Maryland Place: Meadows.

The Bethany Road from Jerusalem. Original caption: Copied by Mr. Block. April 24, 1912. State: Jerusalem.

Rock asphalt used on a short stretch of highway northeast of Tunja, General view of highway between Santa Marta and Cienaga. Original caption: 39-3809 - Rock asphalt used on a short stretch of highway northeast of Tunja. Original caption: 39-3810 - Report of Highway Activities in Colombia South America - 1939. Taken by Worth D. Ross. General view of highway between Santa Marta and Cienaga. State: Colombia.

Susquehannock Fort, 1671. Original caption: From Page 100 "The Location of Susquehannock Fort" by D. H. Landis. Historical papers and addresses of the Lancaster Historical Society - Volume XIV 1910. State: Pennsylvania.

Sign on west end of project defining different types of soil treatment in Colorado. Original caption: Sign on west end of project defining different types of soil treatment. A similar sign is on east end of project. FAP 194-A (3) May 18, 1943. State: Colorado.

Dock approach at Hyder, Alaska. Original caption: Plank pavements. Dock approach at Hyder, Alaska. Purcell June 3, 1923. State: Alaska. Place: Salmon River Road.

Dover Cliffs, England. Original caption: Dover Cliffs, England from SS President Roosevelt Pictures taken by Dr. L. I. Hewes, delegate to International Road Congress in Germany 1934. State: England.

Priming the completed base course with MC-1, Use of 3-inch maximum size stone in lower layer of base course. Original caption: 39-3819 - Priming the completed base course with MC-1. Original caption: 39-3820 - Report of Highway Activities in Colombia South America - 1939. Taken by Worth D. Ross. Use of 3-inch maximum size stone in lower layer of base course. State: Colombia.

Gay Street, Baltimore. Original caption: Gay Street. Photo by T. W. Kines May 1948. State: Maryland. Place: Baltimore.

Earliest View of New Amsterdam. Original caption: Earliest view of New Amsterday 1664. From a copperplate made by Augustyn Heermanns, who came to new Amsterdam in 1633. On the left are seen the fort, inclosing the double-roofed church built by Kieft, the prison, and the Governor's house; at the river-side are seen the gallows and whipping-post; on the extreme right is seenthe hill over which Fulton Street now passes."The Dutch Founding of New York" - Harpers New Monthly Magazine. Dec.-May 1902-03. Vol. 106 p. 571. State: New York Place: New York.

Gravel Road in National Park Showing Monuments to Confederate Soldiers. Original caption: Gravel road in National Park showing monuments to Confederate soldiers, to right. This road follows the line of defenses of the confederate soldiers. Jas. Wilmot. Dec. 9, 1909. State: Mississippi Place: Vicksburg.

Peekskill Landing. Original caption: "Peekskill Landing" from p. 61 - American Scenery by N. R. Willis - Illustrated in a series of view by W. H. Bartlett. London - Published for the Proprietors by Geo, Virtue 26 Ivy Lane - 1839. Copied by R. H. Ritter March 1938. In French published in Paris, France in 1840. State: New York Place: Peekskill.

Using cotton fabric for erosion control in Mississippi. Original caption: 39-2677 Miss. NBH 185-C showing use of cotton fabric as mulch on seeded back slopes on U.S. #80 on - 5-7-1939. 27 strips on back slope and one in ditch approximately Station 1231/75 to 1233/75. Original caption: 39-2678 Mississippi NRH 185-C showing detail of fabric in ditch Station 1231/75 on north side. State: Mississippi.

Pothole on Washington Baltimore Boulevard. Original caption: Failure in center of road due to poor drainage. Hillers 1919. State: Maryland. Place: Wash. Balt. Boule.

Seal of Baltimore & York-Town Turnpike Road Company. undefined.

Failure of a Bituminous Concrete Pavement, Pennsylvania. Original caption: Failure of a Bituminous Concrete pavement in Penn. Near Trenton. Harrison 1920. State: Pennsylvania.

A. C. Rose During Filming of "Travelers Toll". Original caption: A. C. Rose - Taken During filming of "Travelers Toll." J. K. Hillers - 1927. State: Maryland Place: Meadows.

Tavern Scene in England in the Early 1800's. Original caption: Tavern scene in England in the early 1800's - "Springhaven" - Harpers New Monthly Magazine - Dec. 1886 - May 1887 Vol 74 p. 285.

Historical Marker, U.S. Route #10 Between Billings and Livingston, Montana. Original caption: U.S. Route #10 between Billings and Livingston, Montana. Historical marker. Photo taken by G. B. Gordon, Div. of Design, 1938. State: Montana Place: Between Billings and Livingston.

Italian Translation of Vitruvius' Works. Original caption: Italian translation of Vitruvius' works. Rusconi (G. A.) Della Archittetura.

Gordon's Corner. Original caption: 47-2125, 47-2125-A Route 4 Gordon's corner, Manalapan Township. Photo by T. W. Kines. State: New Jersey.

Close-up of Roller on the Model of the Appian Way. Original caption: Close-up of roller on the model of the Appian Way built by Bureau of Public Roads, Department of Commerce, formerly Public Roads administration, Federal Works Agency.

Road Agents at Work. Original caption: Road Agents at work - "The Santa Fe Trail" - Harpers New Monthly Magazine - June-Nov. 1880. Vol. 61 p 193.

Twenty-fifth Anniversary of the American Association of State Highway Officials Held in Virginia October 9, 1939. Original caption: Twenty-fifth anniversary of the American Association of State Highway Officials held in Virginia October 9, 1939. J. K. Hillers - October, 1939. State: Virginia Place: Williamsburg.

Three quadrant interchange. Original caption: New Jersey-grade separations (Highway) 3 quadrant interchange bet. New Jersey Route No. 3 (parallel to river) and N.J. route no. 6 (crossing river) at Passsaic river near Patterson, N.J. State: New Jersey.

Santa Fe Trail Marker Alongside Present Road Between Trinidad and Morley. State: Colorado.

The Royal Surveyors Marking the Trees with the Broad Arrow. Original caption: The royal surveyors blazing the trees with 3 notches to mark the road. - History of the United States of America. - William T. Harris et. al. p 216.

Road to Kvamskler. Original caption: Copied by Mr. Block. April 24,1912. State: Norway. Place: Kvamskler.

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