Think Modern Travel Is Bad? Check Out the State of Travel in the 1800s and Never Complain about Flying Again

Rates of travel from New York map 1830

Rates of travel from New York map 1830

Did you know it used to take over four weeks to travel between New York and California? If hour-long interruptions to your holiday travel plans are enough to put you over the edge, perhaps it will sooth you to examine how difficult travel used to be way back when and realize you don’t have it half bad today.

To help put modern travel in a historical perspective, staff and students of the Digital Scholarship Lab at the University of Richmond have created the interactive, digital Atlas of the Historical Geography of the United States. There you can explore how long it took to travel to various points across the country from New York in 1800, 1830, 1857 and 1930. You can also explore public post roads and stage routes, the canals of 1930, the railroads of 1840 and more.

Check out some of the maps below and head to the Atlas to explore more!

Rates of travel from New York map 1800

Rates of travel from New York map 1857

Rates of travel from New York map 1930 by train

Rates of travel from New York map 1930 by airways

via Co.Design by Fast Company

Lauren Mobertz

By Lauren Mobertz

Lauren is the former managing editor for DashBurst. One part geek, one part urban nomad, she is constantly scouting for the latest tech and world news. In the evenings you'll find Lauren running in strange places or attempting to dance salsa.