WYOMING OFFICIAL MAPS

Notes:

Information on early Wyoming official maps comes from a Master’s Thesis by John R. Waggener, University of Wyoming 2001, “Putting Wyoming on the Map: The History of the Official Wyoming Highway Map.”

The State Engineer’s Office published the maps prior to 1918. The Wyoming Highway Department published the map in 1918, and from 1924 on. Maps from 1912 to 1915 probably weren’t intended for general use. The 1918 map listed below was also most likely intended for internal use only. A Wyoming State Highway Commission report notes that a smaller scale map should be printed for general distribution, but it is not known if such a map was indeed produced. The maps published from 1924 to 1931 were Condition Maps, intended for public use. However, the first color, two-sided folded maps did not appear until 1932.

Although no new map was created during 1943-44, some 1942 maps were stamped with a note on the back cover stating that they were still essentially correct, and dated 1944.  In addition, it is reported that the Highway Dept. attempted to reissue 1942 maps by placing a sticker with the 1944 date over the old date on the front cover. However, these stickers would not stay on due to the glossy paper used for the 1942 maps. It is not known if any such maps were ever issued, and if so, if any of the stickers survived.

Only 10,000 maps were issued for 1946. There are two known versions: both have the date “1946” on the cover modified from “1945”, with the 5 turned into a 6. One has the word “WHEN” before the “A Cards are just a memory…” blacked out, on the other it is whited out. On the map with the word blacked out, the 5 has been made a 6 by hand, you can see that the black ink has just barely come through the paper. “WHEN” has been blacked out by hand also, you can tell by the shine of the ink with the faint WHEN underneath. On the map with the word whited out, the 5 has been made a 6 as part of the printing process, no ink has come through the paper. And the “whiteout” was also done as part of printing.

For maps dated 1954 through 1968, it is difficult to distinguish the front from the back cover. From 1954 to 1965, the front cover is designated along with a caption at lower left of either the map side or reverse side. From 1966 to 1968, both sides have the year; only one side is described.

Sponsor(s): Mark Greaves

Latest updates: 3/16/22–added notes about 1946 maps

Wyoming Maps:
1912; dtd cprt; no cvr, printed one side only; unfolded 12 x 16
1913; dtd cprt; otherwise same as 1912
1914; dtd cprt; otherwise same as 1912
1915; dtd cprt; otherwise same as 1912
1916; dtd cprt; no cvr, printed one side only; unfolded 10.5 x 13.5 – issued with the Mtn. States Tel. and  Telgph. Co.
1918; dtd map title; no cvr, printed one side only; unfolded 18 x 25
1924; dtd map title; no cvr, printed one side only; unfolded 11 x 17
1925; dtd map title; otherwise same as 1924
1926; dtd map title; otherwise same as 1924
1927; dtd map title; otherwise same as 1924
1928; dtd map title (May 1); otherwise same as 1924
1929; dtd map title (May 1); otherwise same as 1924
1930; dtd map title; otherwise same as 1924
1931; dtd map title (May 1); otherwise same as 1924
1932; dtd cvr; bw dwg “Grand Tetons and Jackson Lake”; 5 x 10
1933; dtd cvr; otherwise same as 1932 exc clr dwg
1934; no map issued
1935; dtd cvr; bw photo “Devil’s Tower”; 5 x 10
1936; dtd cvr; otherwise same as 1935
1937 A; dtd cvr; otherwise same as 1935
1937 B; dtd cvr; clr photo of Old Faithful; 3.75 x 9
1938; dtd cvr; clr photo of woman on horse; 3.75 x 9
1939 A; dtd cvr; clr photo of horse “World Fairs Edition”; 3.75 x 9
1939 B; dtd cvr; clr photo of Gov. Nels H. Smith “Worlds Fair Edition”; 3.75 x 9
1940; dtd cvr; clr photo of Gov. Nels H. Smith on horse “Golden Anniversary Edition”; 3.5 x 9
1941; dtd cvr; same photo as 1940, with different title layout; 3.5 x 9
1942; dtd cvr; clr photo of Gov. Nels H. Smith on horse (dif. photo from 1940); 3.5 x 9
1943; no map issued
1944; same as 1942 exc 1944 message stamped on back cvr (see notes above)
1945; no map issued (see notes above)
1946; dtd cvr; bw txt cvr with silhouette of cowboy on bucking bronco; 3.5 x 9
     [2 known versions: {“When” blacked out}, {“When” whited out} – see notes at top]
1947; dtd cvr; clr photo of woman on horse; 3.5 x 10.25
1948; dtd cvr; clr photo “Wind River Canyon” (ci); 3.5 x 10.25
     [2 known versions: { }. {“Issued by the Dept. of Com. & Ind.” on btm of front cvr}]
1949; dtd cvr; clr photo “Scene on Dubois-Moran Road” (ci); 3.5 x 10.25
1950; dtd cvr; clr photo “Lower falls of the Yellowstone” (ci); 3.5 x 9
1951; dtd cvr; clr photo “Tongue River and Castle Rock near Dayton” (ci); 3.5 x 9
1952; dtd cvr; clr photo “Riverside Geyser” (ci); 3.5 x 9
1953; dtd cvr; clr photo “Fall Aspens” (ci); 3.5 x 9
1954; dtd cvr; clr photo “Snake River” (ci); 3.5 x 9
1955; dtd cvr; clr photo “In the Dude Ranch Country” (ci); 3.5 x 9
1956; dtd cvr; 2 clr photos “Devils Tower” (ci); 3.5 x 9
1957; dtd bk cvr; clr photo of woman looking at horses, “Fields of Gold” (ci); 3.5 x 9
1958; dtd cvr; clr photo “Palisades (Cody-Yellowstone)” (ci); 3.5 x 9
1959; dtd cvr; clr photo of old tree “A Seasoned Old Monarch” (ci); 3.5 x 9
1960; dtd bk cvr; clr photo “Winter scene of Old Faithful” (ci); 3.5 x 9
1961; dtd cvr; clr photo of woman & tent “Time Out to Primp”; 4 x 9
1962; dtd cvr; clr photo “Lake Marie”; 4 x 9
1963; dtd cvr; clr photo “Forest Trail in Autumn”; 4 x 9
1964; dtd cvr; clr photo “Moving Cattle in the High Country”; 4 x 9
1965; dtd cvr; clr photo “Crazy Creek Falls” (ci), “75th Anniversary of Statehood”; 4 x 9
1966; dtd cvr; clr photo of mtn valley; 4 x 9
1967; dtd cvr; clr photo “Bear Tooth Lake and Butte” (ci); 4 x 9
1968; dtd cvr; clr photo “Upper Green River Lake” (ci); 4 x 9
1969; dtd cvr; clr photo of lake with trees, “Sunset” (ci); 4 x 9
1970; dtd cvr; clr photo of wind-scoured tree, “Tetons” (ci); 4 x 9
1971; dtd cvr; clr photo “Brooks Lake Creek Falls” (ci); 4 x 9
1972; dtd cvr; clr photo “Red Cliffs on Belle Fourche River” (ci); 4 x 9
1973; dtd cvr; clr photo “Autumn Color Near Battle Mountain” (ci); 4 x 9
1974; dtd cvr; clr photo “Deep Lake and Temple Peaks in the Bridger Wilderness Area” (ci); 4 x 9
1975; dtd cvr; clr photo “Prairie Windmill at Dusk Near Lusk” (ci); 4 x 9
1976; dtd cvr; clr photo “…the Casper Troopers – at Ft. Laramie” (ci); 4 x 9
1977; dtd cvr; clr photo “Devil’s Canyon in the Big Horn National Recreation Area” (ci); 4 x 9
1978; dtd cvr; clr photo “Cattle Ranch near Sheridan” (ci); 4 x 9
1979-80; dtd cvr; clr photo “Big Firehole Canyon Drive…Flaming Gorge…” (ci); 4 x 9
1981; dtd cvr; clr photo “Mountain Meadow near US 14A in the Big Horns” (ci); 4 x 9
1982; dtd cvr; clr photo of wagon wheel; 4 x 9
1983; dtd cvr; clr photo “Gros Ventre River near Jackson” (ci); 4 x 9
1984; dtd cvr; clr photo “Fall Colors near Cody” (ci); 4 x 9
1985; dtd cvr; clr photo “A mountain slope in the Big Horn National Forest near Burgess Jct.” (ci); 4 x 9
1986; dtd cvr; clr photo “Square Top Mountain and Lower Green River Lake…” (ci); 4 x 9
1987; dtd cvr; clr photo “The recently completed Sunlight Creek bridge on WYO 296…” (ci); 4 x 9
1988; dtd cvr; clr photo “Fishing at Brooks Lake near Togwotee Pass” (ci); 4 x 9
1989; dtd cvr; 2 clr photos, “Devils Tower…” (ci); 4 x 9
1990; dtd cvr; bw historic photo “The Wyoming statehood parade” (ci), “Centennial Year Edition”; 4 x 9
1991; dtd cvr; clr photo “Clay Butte above Beartooth Lake in Shoshone National Forest” (ci); 4 x 9
1992; dtd cvr; clr photo “Pronghorn antelope” (ci); 4 x 9
1993; dtd cvr; clr photo “A modern day wagon train…” (ci); 4 x 9
1994; dtd cvr; clr photo “The showy Indian Paintbrush…” (ci); 4 x 9
1995; dtd cvr; clr photo “A new Wyoming mountain highway WYO 70”; 4 x 9
1996; dtd cvr; clr photo “A new Wyoming mountain highway WYO 296”; 4 x 9
1997; dtd cvr; clr photo “U.S. 16 (Cloud Peak Skyway) in Big Horn Mountains” (ci); 4 x 9
1998; dtd cvr; clr photo of rd through aspens in fall; 4 x 9
1999; dtd cvr; clr photo “U.S. 14-16-20, Buffalo Bill Cody Scenic Byway…” (ci); 4 x 9
2000; dtd cvr; clr photo “Devils Tower National Monument” (ci); 4 x 9
2001; dtd cvr; clr photo “Fishing on Salt River south of Alpine, Wyo.” (ci); 4 x 9
2002; dtd cvr; clr painting “Northern Plains Cowboy”; 4 x 9
2003; dtd cvr; clr photo woman on horseback below mtn, “Good Morning Cowgirl” (ci); 4 x 9
2004; dtd lgnd; clr photo “Cross country skiing below the Tetons”; 4 x 9
2005; dtd lgnd; clr photo “Backcountry skiing in the Tetons”; 4 x 9
2006; dtd lgnd; clr photo of buffalo by Devils Tower; 4 x 9
2007; dtd lgnd; clr photo of geyser; 4 x 9
2008; dtd lgnd; clr photo of lake with mts in background (Tetons); 4 x 9
2009; dtd lgnd; clr photo of road through aspen trees; 4 x 9
2010; dtd lgnd; clr photo of bull rider; 4 x 9
2011; dtd lgnd; clr drwg of herd of buffalo; 4 x 9
2012; dtd lgnd; clr photo of upper falls of the Yellowstone; 4 x 9
2013; dtd lgnd; clr photo of buffalo; 4 x 9
2015; dtd lgnd; clr photo of rattlesnake on rock; 4 x 9
2016; dtd lgnd; clr photo of old barn mtns; 4 x 9
2017; dtd lgnd; clr photo of campfire under mountains; 4 x 9