1938 Elms Map of the United States

This is a 1938 Francis Raymond Elms map of the United States which depicts the continental United States from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean and from Canada to Mexico. Created during the tense years preceding the outbreak of World War II, the nation's transportation network is the focus of this piece. Railroad centers, airports, and shipping centers are identified throughout the country, although the railroad network is not illustrated. Every state is illustrated and labeled, and every state capital is marked by a star. Major cities in each state are identified, labeled, and marked using silhouettes of a city skyline. Some of the identified cities do not function as any of the previously listed transportation hubs, such as Texarkana, Arkansas, and Sioux Falls, South Dakota, so it is unclear why Elms chose to include these cities over others.

This map was created by Francis Raymond Elms and published by the Beckley-Cardy Company as part of a series of four maps of the United States.