A.L.A. Green Book: Official Route Book of the Automobile Legal Association, Vol. 1
The ALA Guide is a snapshot of automobile travel on the National Road in the 1920s. Road selection appears to be limited to those made of "bitulithic macadam and concrete". Landmarks are often used as opposed to street names (Perhaps due to poor siganage.). Vol. 1 of ALA Guide includes route guides for travel from Washington, PA to Cumberland, MD to Hagerstown, MD, via the National Road, only. ~ SC
From the Guide:
A.L.A. OFFICIAL GUIDE: The Automobile Green Book - VOL. 1, 1920
New England States and Trunk Lines - West and South
(Click title to read the book online)
Official Guide Book of THE AUTOMOBILE LEGAL ASSOCIATION, 6 Beacon St., Boston, Mass.
How to use the Automobile Green Book:
This should be carefully read as it will be found very simple, if used correctly.
General Index of Cities and Towns
This index contains all cities and towns through which the various trips pass. Shows also the terminals of all trips. Under the town name is given a classified list of the advertisers. Immediately after the town name is given the key letter and number showing the location on the general map.
Sample Route Guide
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Additional Routes along the National Road:
Some additional notes...
Using the Cumberland to Hagerstown Route Guide (646) on the left and a 1938 Map of Cumberland, I have indicated a possible route out of Cumberland.
Please note, I believe there is an editing mistake in the second notation beginning with "0.1 Freight Depot...". The third line "square, Turn right" would seem to belong to the fourth notation "Sharp left on Decatur Ave, one". In addition, the ALA Guide indicates a railroad crosses George St. but it's not shown on the 1938 map. This could be due to a freight yard reconfiguration in the 18 years between the Guide (1920) and the map (1938). Go to map.
The route indicated by the ALA Guide is similar to a route suggested by Robert Bruce in 1916 (The National Road [3]).
Bruce, coming from Wolfe's (Folck's) Mill on the National Road notes: "Just beyond, there is a "parting of the ways" for the balance of the trip into Cumberland, both shown graphically by the detail map, page 29. In the fall of 1914, the better route was by the first right-turn beyond the small iron bridge, directly across by an excellent road, cut in part through a hillside (Naves Crossroads), to its end at the Bedford Road. By taking this route and making a left-turn in front of a stone farmhouse, the tourist can follow Bedford Street, mostly brick pavement, straight ahead across the B. & O. R. R. (grade, dangerous) to the business center of Cumberland, at Center Street, near the city hall and post office." ~SC
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