BEING a world-famous webmaster (sort of) means that, on occasion, people send you things, completely unbidden. In September 2020 I got a big box of stuff sent by a woman in Texas (I seem to recall; I’ll have to look for the box at this remove to remember exactly). She didn’t want this stuff anymore, and figured I’d take it. I did, and sent her a thank you note. Some of the contents did replicate items already in my collection.
In the 20th century, Geographia, in its “little red books” series, as well as other publishers, put out street directories, which showed where streets began and ended (fairly easy in NYC in all boroughs but Queens, where numbered streets stop and start, and in locales like Philly, where the same street can turn up in separate neighborhoods miles apart). The street guides also showed addresses of cross streets, locations of transit lines, and police precinct houses, theaters, post offices, and other municipal buildings.
Geographia published a “New York” guide, by which they meant Manhattan; their all in one 5-borough book went by that name. This one is from 1964, by the World’s Fair reference. Also shown is one of the covers Hagstrom did for their street maps until 1970 or so, when they considerably streamlined the design. My friend’s father in law was a cab driver, so there’s some cab memorabilia, as well. She also helpfully labeled each item.
Forgotten people are good people…
Check out the ForgottenBook, take a look at the gift shop. As always, “comment…as you see fit.” I earn a small payment when you click on any ad on the site.
3/19/25
3 comments
I have all sorts of ephemera, as it’s called, like this. Also a banker’s box full of mostly mid-century road maps. I promise not to inflict my stuff on you!
I have milk crates full of hundreds of out of date maps from the 20th Century. Looking for someone to take them, as I don’t want to throw them out.
I still have a Brooklyn Hagstrom map from the 1960s that looks like the one in the photo, but I cannot tell if I have the same edition. I also had the Brooklyn Geographia book (I may still have it, but I would have to search the house).