1909 Columbus Lithograph Co. Railroad Map of Ohio

This is a 1909 Columbus Lithograph Company railroad map of Ohio.

An Extensive Railroad Network

Lines of multiple colors trace 44 steam railroads, also listed alphabetically in the lower left. Among these are the Pennsylvania Railroad (red), the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (light blue), the Erie Railroad (green), and the New York Central Railroad (yellow). These four railroads also operated numerous subsidiaries within Ohio, which are listed in smaller print below the larger railroad. Another 58 electric railroads are indicated by dashed red lines and labeled numerically. These railroads are listed after the steam railroads in the lower left. Unfortunately, some of the numbers in the index on this example have worn away. The index also lists state hospitals, industrial schools, universities, and public county institutions.

A Closer Look

On the map itself, cities and towns along every route are identified, and some of the railroads are labeled directly by name. Steamship companies operating in Lake Erie are identified and a note states 'navigation opens April 1st and 15th. Closes December 1st'. The border between the U.S. and Canada, which runs through Lake Erie, is noted by a dotted and dashed black line.

Publication History and Census

This map was created by the Columbus Lithograph Company and published by the State of Ohio in 1909. Editions were published as early as 1898 through at least 1914. We note thirteen examples cataloged in OCLC, but due to cataloging irregularities it is difficult to tell with any certainty how many of these represent the 1909 edition.