Carrying the straightforward title 1937 Road Map of Washington, this handsome state portrait by the HM Gousha Company was prepared exclusively for the Standard Oil Company of Texas at the height of America’s interwar motoring boom. A traveler’s instrument first and an objet of design second, it arrays Washington’s circulation in saturated red highways and carefully tiered secondary roads, then layers in national and state parks, monuments, airports, and the subtle lacework of drainage that binds mountain to sound. A compact legend decodes the symbology while a meticulous index guides the eye swiftly from Seattle to Spokane and the smallest farm town between. The familiar RPM Motor Oil emblem anchors the composition, a quiet reminder of the service-station counter where such navigational companions once began their journeys.

HM Gousha stood at the vanguard of American road cartography, marrying clarity with allure. Founded by former Rand McNally cartographer Harry Mathias Gousha in 1926, the firm specialized in maps that motorists could read at a glance yet study with pleasure. Here, relief is rendered through fine hachures and punctuated spot heights, making the Cascades rise with tactile presence and letting the scabland benches east of the Columbia fall away in delicate shadow. Color judiciously separates forests, water, and settlement, while symbols for airports, monuments, and parks sit in poised balance along the routes. Spread across two facing panels, the composition breathes, giving mountain chains and river basins room to unfurl without sacrificing the economy of a glove-box guide—an exemplar of pre-Interstate design discipline.

Highways stride confidently across the state in 1937: US 99 threads the Puget Sound corridor from Olympia through Tacoma, Seattle, and Everett toward the Canadian line; US 10 cuts east from tidewater over Snoqualmie Pass to Ellensburg and Spokane; US 101 loops as a coastal necklace around the Olympic Peninsula; US 97 runs the dry-side spine through Yakima, Wenatchee, and north into Okanogan country; and US 195 drops south from Spokane toward the Palouse. Distances between key towns are thoughtfully marked, an aid to planning fuel and daylight. Hachured ridges betray the obstacles these routes overcame—Stevens and Snoqualmie Passes, the Yakima Canyon, the Columbia’s trench—while blue threads detail the Skagit, Snohomish, Yakima, Snake, and great Columbia, their confluences shaping settlement and road choice alike.

The map’s city portraiture is equally discerning. Seattle unfurls between Puget Sound and Lake Washington, its approaches converging at the great arterial spine; Tacoma stakes its claim to the south, with Olympia crowned as the state capital at the southern reach of the Sound. Northward, Everett and Bellingham register as industrious harbors, and Marysville rides the flats beyond. Bellevue sits like a quiet lakeside waypoint to the east; Renton and Auburn bracket the Green and White river valleys. Far across the mountains, Spokane anchors the Inland Empire on the Spokane River. The Yakima Valley appears as an irrigated ribbon, while the Tri-Cities—Kennewick, Pasco, and budding Richland—cluster at the Columbia–Snake meeting. Aviation icons punctuate the network: Boeing Field, Paine Field, Felts Field, and airstrips scattered through Yakima and Wenatchee country.

Parks and forests frame the itinerary with grandeur. Mount Rainier National Park dominates the central Cascades, its spot height proclaiming the 14,410-foot crown of the state; Olympic National Forest cloaks the peninsula; and Wenatchee, Mount Baker, and Colville national forests stair-step up the range. State parks—Deception Pass among them—promise campgrounds and overlooks at strategic bends in the road. In this synthesis of nature and network lies the map’s historical charge. Issued from the service counter under the RPM Motor Oil banner, it embodies the 1930s pact between industry and leisure, when branded cartography invited Americans to go farther, safely, with confidence. Today it reads as both itinerary and time capsule: a lucid, beautifully made witness to Washington on the cusp of modern highways and mass air travel.

Cities and towns on this map

• Seattle
• Spokane
• Tacoma
• Bellevue
• Everett
• Yakima
• Bellingham
• Kennewick
• Renton
• Auburn
• Olympia
• Pasco
• Marysville
• Lakewood
• Pullman
• Richland
• East Wenatchee

Notable Features & Landmarks

• Major highways and roads marked in red
• National and state parks highlighted
• Airports labeled across the state
• Relief features illustrated through hachures
• Drainage patterns visible throughout the region
• Monuments and other notable landmarks indicated
• Detailed city and town index for navigation
• Location and branding of the RPM Motor Oil logo

Historical and design context

• Map Name: 1937 Road Map of Washington
• Creator/Publisher: HM Gousha Company, prepared exclusively for the Standard Oil Company of Texas
• Year Created: 1937
• Map Features: Detailed color map of roads, highways, trails, state parks, monuments, national forests, airports, drainage patterns, distances, and points of interest
• Design Features: Presented in two double pages with relief illustrated via hachures and spot heights
• Legend and Index: Includes a legend and an index to cities and towns
• Branding: Features the RPM Motor Oil logo, reflecting its connection to Standard Oil’s branding
• Context about Mapmaker: HM Gousha Company produced high-quality road maps and atlases for motorists in the pre-Interstate highway era
• Historical Significance: Collectible piece representing late-1930s cartographic craftsmanship and marketing strategies
• Themes Depicted: Emphasis on transportation routes and physical geography, characteristic of road-travel mapping of the time

Please double check the images to make sure that a specific town or place is shown on this map. You can also get in touch and ask us to check the map for you.

This map looks great at every size, but I always recommend going for a larger size if you have space. That way you can easily make out all of the details.

This map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 100in (250cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please get in touch.

Please note: the labels on this map are hard to read if you order a map that is 16in (40cm) or smaller. The map is still very attractive, but if you would like to read the map easily, please buy a larger size.

The model in the listing images is holding the 16x20in (40x50cm) version of this map.

The fifth listing image shows an example of my map personalisation service.

If you’re looking for something slightly different, check out my collection of the best old maps to see if something else catches your eye.

Please contact me to check if a certain location, landmark or feature is shown on this map.

This would make a wonderful birthday, Christmas, Father's Day, work leaving, anniversary or housewarming gift for someone from the areas covered by this map.

This map is available as a giclée print on acid free archival matte paper, or you can buy it framed. The frame is a nice, simple black frame that suits most aesthetics. Please get in touch if you'd like a different frame colour or material. My frames are glazed with super-clear museum-grade acrylic (perspex/acrylite), which is significantly less reflective than glass, safer, and will always arrive in perfect condition.

This map is also available as a float framed canvas, sometimes known as a shadow gap framed canvas or canvas floater. The map is printed on artist's cotton canvas and then stretched over a handmade box frame. We then "float" the canvas inside a wooden frame, which is available in a range of colours (black, dark brown, oak, antique gold and white). This is a wonderful way to present a map without glazing in front. See some examples of float framed canvas maps and explore the differences between my different finishes.

For something truly unique, this map is also available in "Unique 3D", our trademarked process that dramatically transforms the map so that it has a wonderful sense of depth. We combine the original map with detailed topography and elevation data, so that mountains and the terrain really "pop". For more info and examples of 3D maps, check my Unique 3D page.

Many of our maps and art prints are chosen as thoughtful gifts for homes, offices, studies and meaningful places.

Choose a framed option for the easiest ready-to-hang gift, or choose an unframed print if the recipient may prefer to select their own frame.

We make orders locally in 23 countries around the world, so gifts can often be produced close to the recipient. This helps them arrive faster, travel more safely, and avoid customs or import duty surprises.

• We can deliver directly to the recipient
• Framed pieces arrive ready to hang
• Unframed prints are carefully packed in a strong protective tube
• Almost every order is made locally, for faster, safer gifting
• 90-day returns give the recipient time to decide

If you are not sure what to choose, please contact us. We can help you pick the right map, size, finish or delivery option.

Most orders are made locally and delivered in around 2–3 working days, depending on the product, size and destination.

We print and frame maps and artwork in 23 countries around the world, so your order is usually made close to you or your recipient. That means faster delivery, less time in transit, and no customs or import duty surprises.

Personalised and customised pieces usually take an extra 1–2 working days, because we prepare your design and send it to you for approval before printing.

Very large framed orders can take a little longer, as they need extra care in production and delivery.

Every order is carefully packaged: unframed prints are sent in a strong protective tube, while framed pieces are securely packed with protective materials around the frame.

If you need your order by a particular date, please contact us before ordering. We’ll check the best production route and delivery option for your location.

Express delivery is available at checkout for most countries. Next-day delivery is available in the UK, US, Singapore and the UAE.

Your order is covered by our 90-day returns policy and 5-year guarantee.

Read our full delivery and local production guide

My standard frame is a gallery style black ash hardwood frame. It is simple and quite modern looking. My standard frame is around 20mm (0.8in) wide.

I use super-clear acrylic (perspex/acrylite) for the frame glass. It's lighter and safer than glass - and it looks better, as the reflectivity is lower.

Six standard frame colours are available for free (black, dark brown, dark grey, oak, white and antique gold). Custom framing and mounting/matting is available if you're looking for something else.

Most maps, art and illustrations are also available as a framed canvas. We use matte (not shiny) cotton canvas, stretch it over a sustainably sourced box wood frame, and then 'float' the piece within a wood frame. The end result is quite beautiful, and there's no glazing to get in the way.

All frames are provided "ready to hang", with either a string or brackets on the back. Very large frames will have heavy duty hanging plates and/or a mounting baton. If you have any questions, please get in touch.

See some examples of my framed maps and framed canvas maps.

Alternatively, I can also supply old maps and artwork on canvas, foam board, cotton rag and other materials.

If you want to frame your map or artwork yourself, please read my size guide first.

My maps are extremely high quality reproductions of original maps.

I source original, rare maps from libraries, auction houses and private collections around the world, restore them at my London workshop, and then use specialist giclée inks and printers to create beautiful maps that look even better than the original.

My maps are printed on acid-free archival matte (not glossy) paper that feels very high quality and almost like card. In technical terms the paper weight/thickness is 10mil/200gsm. It's perfect for framing.

I print with Epson ultrachrome giclée UV fade resistant pigment inks - some of the best inks you can find.

I can also make maps on canvas, cotton rag and other exotic materials.

Learn more about The Unique Maps Co.

Map personalisation

If you're looking for the perfect anniversary or housewarming gift, I can personalise your map to make it truly unique. For example, I can add a short message, or highlight an important location, or add your family's coat of arms.

The options are almost infinite. Please see my map personalisation page for some wonderful examples of what's possible.

To order a personalised map, select "personalise your map" before adding it to your basket.

Get in touch if you're looking for more complex customisations and personalisations.

Map ageing

I have been asked hundreds of times over the years by customers if they could buy a map that looks even older.

Well, now you can, by selecting Aged before you add a map to your basket.

All the product photos you see on this page show the map in its Original form. This is what the map looks like today.

If you select Aged, I will age your map by hand, using a special and unique process developed through years of studying old maps, talking to researchers to understand the chemistry of aging paper, and of course... lots of practice!

If you're unsure, stick to the Original colour of the map. If you want something a bit darker and older looking, go for Aged.

See some amazing examples of Aged maps.

If you are not happy with your order for any reason, contact me and I'll get it fixed ASAP, free of charge. Please see my returns and refund policy for more information.

I am very confident you will like your restored map or art print. I have been doing this since 1984. I'm a 5-star Etsy seller. I have sold tens of thousands of maps and art prints and have over 5,000 real 5-star reviews. My work has been featured in interior design magazines, on the BBC, and on the walls of dozens of 5-star hotels.

I use a unique process to restore maps and artwork that is massively time consuming and labour intensive. Hunting down the original maps and illustrations can take months. I use state of the art and eye-wateringly expensive technology to scan and restore them. As a result, I guarantee my maps and art prints are a cut above the rest. I stand by my products and will always make sure you're 100% happy with what you receive.

Almost all of my maps and art prints look amazing at large sizes (200cm, 6.5ft+) and I can frame and deliver them to you as well, via special oversized courier. Contact me to discuss your specific needs.