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A fine example of this decorative pictorial map of the United States, promoting Greyhound bus lines. The caricatures of the various regions run from charming to very politically incorrect and provide a marvelous look at American's ethnic and regional perceptions of itself.
Numerous illustrations occur all throughout the map. Depictions shown include landmarks, transportation, historical events, and much more. Detail is extensive, and extends a short way into Canada and Mexico. Small Greyhound buses can be seen zooming through the map at various locations.
The map shows the very many bus routes operated by Greyhound and its partner connecting lines. Greyhound had only been formed in 1914, but had already experienced rapid growth. By 1934, the bus company was carrying nearly as many passengers as the large railways, over four hundred million a year. The pre-Code 1931 Hollywood film It Happened One Night had helped generate massive public interest in the company, and ridership boomed afterward.
The 1930s marks an era which has nearly been extinguished in American transport, in which cheap, no-frills transport was readily available. The benefits of ubiquitous bus routes allowed even the smallest cities to have access to national public transport, allowing for economies to develop in the area. In addition, the Greyhound Company and its competitors played a significant role in the development of beat and hippy culture.
