TENNESSEE OFFICIAL MAPS
Notes:
The pre-1938, 1946, and 1949 maps are simple, black and white maps showing road conditions as of that month. These were probably issued in addition to more elaborate maps in the later years, such as the 1938 (Jan) and 1940 (Jan) maps listed below, which are more colorful and contain tourist photos, etc.
The map listed below as [1953] is the 1951 map with a sticker on the cover listing Frank G. Clement, Governor – but still dated August 1951. Since Gov. Clement didn’t take office until Jan. 1953, this map had to have been issued that year. The second version of the 1956 map, without date on the cover, may have been issued for 1957 or 1958.
From 1985 to the present, the maps contain a reference to the number of copies printed, along with a date, at the bottom center of the map. Publication dates in the fall of a given year are listed as the following year (i.e. 12/95 is listed as a 1996 map). There is also a notation near the legend which states “Highway System current thru…”, along with a date. These are sometimes one or two years different from the printing date.
A separate map issue called “Tennessee Travel Map” was also published in the 1970s-80s, these are not listed here.
Latest updates: 10/15/25-added 1943
Tennessee Maps:
1923; dtd lgnd (Oct 31); no cvr, printed one side only; unfolded 30.25 x 8.75
1926 A: dtd below lgnd; no cvr, printed both sides; unfolded 30.25 x 9.25
1926 B; dtd lgnd (Jul 1); bw txt cvr; 4 x 8.5
1928; dtd cvr (Mar); bw txt cvr with st seal; 4 x 9.25
1929; dtd cvr (Jun); bw txt cvr with st seal; 4 x 9.25
1930; dtd cvr; bw txt cvr with st seal; sizes vary
___[2 known versions: {Jun & 3.75 x 9.25}, {Nov & 3.75 x 8.75} and 1 reported version: {Aug}]
1931; dtd cvr; bw txt cvr with st seal; 3.75 x 9
___[1 known version: {Aug} and 1 reported version: {May}]
1932; dtd cvr; otherwise same as 1930
___[2 known versions: {Feb}, {May}]
1933; dtd cvr; otherwise same as 1930
___[1 known version: {May} and 1 reported version: {Dec}]
1934; dtd cvr (June); red & black txt cvr with st seal; 3.75 x 9.25
1935; dtd cvr (Nov); otherwise same as 1934
1936; dtd cvr (Dec); otherwise same as 1934
1937; dtd cvr (Feb); otherwise same as 1934
1938; dtd cvr (Jan); clr photo of “Tennessee’s Capitol”; 4.75 x 10.5
___[2 known versions: {M.O. Allen, Comm.}, {Ink stamp of C.W. Phillips, Comm.}]
1940; dtd cvr (Jan); clr dwg of st cptl grounds; 4.75 x 10.5
1941; dtd cvr (Jul); clr photo “The Hermitage”; 4.75 x 10.5
1943; dtd cvr (Jul); b/w txt with st seal; 3.75 x 10/75
1946; dtd cvr (Jun); red & black txt cvr with st seal; 3.75 x 9.25
1947; dtd cvr (Aug); clr photo of car on rural hwy; 3.75 x 9.25
1949; dtd cvr (Jun); otherwise same as 1946
1950; dtd cvr (Feb); clr photo of car on rd by “Rural Roads Project” sign; 3.75 x 9.25
1951; dtd cvr (Aug); clr photo of divided hwy; 3.75 x 9.25
[1953] dtd cvr (Aug. 1951); same as 1951 with Gov. Clement sticker (took office Jan. 1953)
1954; dtd cvr (Jan); 2 clr photos (dam, farm land); 3.75 x 9.25
1956; dtd lgnd (Jan); 2 clr photos (“State Capitol”, “Bridge over Mississippi River…”); 3.75 x 9.25
___[2 known versions: {dtd cvr}, {no date on cvr}]
1959; dtd cvr (May); 2 clr photos (“State Capitol”, “U.S. Highway No. 41-A…”); 3.75 x 9.25
1963; dtd cvr (Feb); 2 clr photos (dam, hwy cloverleaf); 3.75 x 9.25
1964; dtd cvr (Feb); 2 clr photos (2 bridges, fwy interchange); 3.75 x 9.25
1965; dtd cvr (Feb); otherwise same as 1964
1966; dtd cvr (Feb); clr photo “I-40 & I-75 Interchange…”; 3.75 x 9.25
1967; dtd cvr (Feb); clr photo “Bridge on I-65…”; 3.75 x 9.25
1968; dtd cvr (Feb); otherwise same as 1967
1969; dtd cvr (Feb); clr photo “Interstate Route 40…”; 3.75 x 9.25
1970; dtd cvr (Feb); otherwise same as 1969
1971; dtd cvr (Feb); otherwise same as 1969
1972; dtd cvr (1972-73), cprt (1972); clr photo “Reelfoot Lake at Sunset”/Dept. Hwys; 3.75 x 9.25
1973; dtd cvr (1972-73), cprt (1973); otherwise same as 1972 exc Dept. of Transportation
1974; dtd cvr; 2 clr photos (st cptl bldg, waterfall); 3.75 x 9.25
1975; dtd cvr; 2 clr photos (st cptl bldg, Civil War cannons); 3.75 x 9.25
1976; dtd cvr; 3 clr photos (woman with mug, covered bridge, woman with bowl); 3.75 x 9.25
1977; dtd cvr; clr painting of woman with dulcimer below clr photo of Memphis skyline; 3.75 x 9.25
1978; dtd cvr; clr photos within letters/numbers of TENNESSEE 1978; 3.75 x 9.25
1979-80; dtd cvr; clr photo of divided hwy in mtns; 3.75 X 8.5
1981-82; dtd cvr; clr photo of rock with divided hwy/town below; 3.75 X 8.5
1985; dtd btm of map; clr photo of rd in mtns in autumn; 3.5 x 8.5
___[2 known versions: {Auth. No. 326016, 800,000 copies}, {Auth. No. 326016-RP-2, 1,000,000 copies}]
1986; dtd btm of map; clr photo of bridge over river at sunset; 3.5 x 8.5
1987; dtd btm of map (Dec 1); otherwise same as 1986
1988; dtd btm of map; otherwise same as 1986
___[2 known versions: {Jan 1988, 1,000,000 copies}, {8/88, 685,000 copies}]
1989; dtd btm of map (6/89); clr photo “I-40 at State Hwy. 152” (ci); 3.5 x 8.5
1990; dtd btm of map (2/90); otherwise same as 1989
1991; dtd btm of map (1/91); otherwise same as 1989
1992; dtd btm of map (2/92); clr photo “I-40 in Cumberland County” (ci); 3.5 x 8.5
1993; dtd btm of map (1/93); clr photo of curving rd in autumn; 3.5 x 8.5
1994; dtd btm of map (3/94); red/white/blue txt cvr with 3 stars in circle; 3.5 x 8.5
1995; dtd btm of map (5/95); clr photo The Greasy Creek Bridge on State Route 40…”; 3.5 x 8.5
1996; dtd cvr, btm of map (12/95); clr photo of fireworks “The Tennessee State Capitol”; 3.5 x 8.5
1997; dtd btm of map (12/96); clr photo of curving fwy through mtns; 3.5 x 8.5
1998; dtd btm of map (12/97); clr photo “A Wildflower Adopt A Plot on Saturn Parkway…”; 3.5 x 8.5
1999; dtd btm of map (12/98); clr photo “First Lady Martha Sundquist stands among wildflowers…”; 3.5 x 8.5
2000; dtd cvr, btm of map (1/00); cvr photo “The Cherohala Skyway…”; 3.5 x 8.5
2001; dtd cvr; clr photo Tennessee Highway 96 Double Arch Bridge…”, 3.5 x 8.5
2002; dtd cvr; clr photo “State Route 840 Spans the Stone River…”; 3.5 x 8.5
2003; dtd cvr; clr photo “1959 Ford Mercury Monterey” (ci) on curving hwy thru forested hills; 3.5 x 8.5
2004; dtd cvr; clr photo of field of flowers with highway in background; 3.5 x 8.5
2005; dtd cvr; clr photo of back road in trees; 3.5 x 8.5
2006; dtd cvr; 3 clr photos (aerial view of hwy, field of flowers, bicyclists on bridge); 3.5 x 9
2007; dtd cvr; clr photo of wild flowers beside hwy with two cars; 3.5 x 9
2008; dtd cvr; 3 clr photos (bridge, road, bus); 3.5 x 9
2009; dtd cvr; 3 clr photos (mountains, motorcycles, freeway interchange); 3.5 x 9
2010; dtd cvr; 3 clr photos (barn, couple walking, couple on bicycle); 3.5 x 9
2011; dtd cvr; clr photo of 4 lane highway in hilly region during fall; 3.5 x 9
2012; dtd cvr; clr photo of 2 lane highway during fall; 3.5 x 9
2013; dtd cvr; clr photo of car with kayak on roof, small inset at lake; 3.5 x 9
2014; dtd cvr; 5 clr photos (barn, bikes, sign, camper, flowers); 3.5 x