King’s Official Route Guide

By Sharon Manthei

  Today, when planning a trip, we might go to a Travel Agent, check with AAA or surf the internet for the best way to find or travel to our destination. Back in the early days of motor cars, motorists could purchase King‘s Official Route Guide to plan their trip. This interesting book, written for the motorist (the Ashland Museums copy is from 1917) traveling throughout Wisconsin, NE Illinois & Eastern Minnesota, guides you mile by tenths of a mile from city to city noting the types of pavement, R. R. crossings, bridges and buildings, businesses, places of interest, dangerous curves and intersections, crossroads and grades of hills along the way.

.0 Leave the Court House on right on West Second St following trolley on asphalt pavement, to 4 corners (immediately passing Post Office on right), (Public Park on near right corner).

.3 Turn left with one branch of trolley on Seventh Ave. (asphalt pavement), to 4 corners.

.4 Turn right on Third St. (leaving trolley).

.5 Pass fire engine house on left.

1.0 Cross R. R.

1.2 Cross R. R. switch, straight ahead, through cross roads, cross trolley.

1.4 Shortly bear right with road, down easy grade, towards Chequamegon Bay.

            This description of the “Kings” recommended route from Ashland to Bayfield continues bringing you along the Bay Front, passing the road to Iron River, to Nash  station, Barksdale, Washburn, Sioux River, Chequamegon Springs, Pikes Bay and Quarry, passing the road to Cornucopia, Salmo, Pikes Creek, State Fish Hatchery and into Bayfield.

            It is interesting to note that the trip from Ashland to Bayfield begins and ends at the County Court House, yet the trip from Ashland to Mellen begins at the County Courthouse and the return trip brings you either to the County Courthouse or to the Ashland Garage. Maybe the trip to Mellen and back was harder on the motor car and maintenance  was required. The Ashland Garage even had an advertisement on the page.

            Note that in 1917, the County Court House was just two years old and is the Court House that still stands today on Main Street between 2^nd and 3^rd Avenues West, and the Post Office was located at 601 West Main Street, which is now the Ashland City Hall. The Ashland Garage stood on the corner of 2^nd Avenue East and Main Street, which is now a part of Zifko Tire and Battery Supply.