How to identify a first printing
- Road maps are dated by an internal alphanumeric DATE CODE printed in a corner or margin, decoded via the Road Map Collectors Association 'Dating Rand McNally and Gousha Maps' tables; the code is the identifier, not a copyright page.
- 1920s-1940s: Chicago-era Gousha maps (frequently produced for oil companies such as Chevron and Texaco); locate the small code near the legend or in a corner to date the printing. Note that in a Gousha code the year letter can appear anywhere in the string, so corroborating clues (census date, road network) may be needed.
- 1947-1990s: San Jose, California era (the company moved there in 1947); the same date-code logic applies, and cover art and oil-company branding help bracket the period.
- Atlases: a named edition plus the copyright year on the title page.
Notable points & cautions
- A major mid-century oil-company road-map printer alongside Rand McNally, founded in Chicago in 1926 by Harry M. Gousha, a former Rand McNally executive.
- Uses a corner DATE-CODE dating method; the Road Map Collectors Association decode tables cover Gousha jointly with Rand McNally. Gousha began date-coding around 1927, using single letters (A-Z) and later double letters (through ZZ in 1978).
- Chicago versus San Jose imprint brackets the era (the firm relocated to San Jose in 1947).
- Highly collected gas-station and oil-company map ephemera.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Gousha road maps (oil-company and state maps), Gousha city maps, Gousha American Road Atlas. Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my H.M. Gousha Company book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. Road maps are dated by an internal alphanumeric DATE CODE printed in a corner or margin, decoded via the Road Map Collectors Association 'Dating Rand McNally and Gousha Maps' tables; the code is the identifier, not a copyright page. 1920s-1940s: Chicago-era Gousha maps (frequently produced for oil companies such as Chevron and Texaco); locate the small code near the legend or in a corner to date the printing. Note that in a Gousha code the year letter can appear anywhere in the string, so corroborating clues (census date, road network) may be needed.
Does H.M. Gousha Company use a number line?
1920s-1940s: Chicago-era Gousha maps (frequently produced for oil companies such as Chevron and Texaco); locate the small code near the legend or in a corner to date the printing. Note that in a Gousha code the year letter can appear anywhere in the string, so corroborating clues (census date, road network) may be needed.
Is a book-club edition a H.M. Gousha Company first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. A major mid-century oil-company road-map printer alongside Rand McNally, founded in Chicago in 1926 by Harry M. Gousha, a former Rand McNally executive.
What era does this cover?
This covers H.M. Gousha Company (1920s-1990s). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.