BajaNomad

Lower California Guidebook, 1967 4th edition

David K - 6-16-2020 at 09:15 AM

This was the 'Baja Bible' to travelers in the 1950s-1970s. There were 4 editions (1956, 1958, 1962, 1967) using this name plus two additional printings (1964, 1970). In 1975, La Siesta Press's Walt Wheelock with input from Howard Gulick revised the guide to include the Transpeninsular Highway and other changes under the new name 'Baja California Guidebook'. This (like-new) book image was emailed to me from 'Slow Baja' after he found it on the Internet. My copies are quite a bit more worn!



IMG_4630.jpg - 224kB

David K - 6-16-2020 at 09:30 AM

1956 First Edition:



1958 Second Edition:


The 1962 Third Edition and 1967 Fourth Edition have the same cover.


[Edited on 6-16-2020 by David K]

David K - 6-16-2020 at 12:19 PM

Maps...

Howard Gulick, an engineer with the City of Glendale, was the cartographer, photographer, and roadlog author.
Peter Gerhard was the historian, and he is credited with some southern Baja guide work, too.

All of the maps from the 1962 3rd edition (they are the same in the fourth edition) are online... Just click on the peninsula map where you want to see the detail map from Howard: http://biology.fullerton.edu/biol517dje/maps/baja_1962.html

David K - 6-16-2020 at 12:33 PM

Loved Howard's maps... They were the first accurate road maps of the peninsula. A sample of one...

PaulW - 6-17-2020 at 07:27 AM

Agree. Do you have any incite on what Gulick used for the source to his maps. Seems like there is way to much accurate detail for one person to create.

David K - 6-17-2020 at 07:39 AM

He used existing charts for his base map (coastline, mountain topography, arroyos) but all the roads were his doing.

One of his traveling companions (Andy Anderson) told us how Howard would stop at every direction change in the road and take out his compass, walk several feet away from the Willys wagon, and make a reading.

There is a photo of Howard and his tripod mounted compass in the Gulick photo collection.

April 1957 Road to Gonzaga Bay

David K - 6-17-2020 at 08:20 AM

Here is Howard Gulick taking a compass reading as he maps Baja California's roads...



bb3926162f_2.jpg - 160kB







[Edited on 6-17-2020 by David K]

David K - 6-17-2020 at 01:50 PM

Here is an unpublished, 1960 map by Howard Gulick of the Gonzaga Bay area:


zoom in...


4x4abc - 6-17-2020 at 03:18 PM

Mexico is a little behind, but they probably had excellent government maps in the 1950's. It is not that American visitors charted Baja for the first time. There are more books written and maps plotted by Mexicans than by Gringos. Go to a Mexican library - its all there.

David K - 6-17-2020 at 05:26 PM

Quote: Originally posted by 4x4abc  
Mexico is a little behind, but they probably had excellent government maps in the 1950's. It is not that American visitors charted Baja for the first time. There are more books written and maps plotted by Mexicans than by Gringos. Go to a Mexican library - its all there.


Let's see them, please!
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I have been a fan of Baja maps all my life and road maps made before Howard's first appeared (1956) fell quite short in accuracy. Even the Auto Club map before the 1970s was very poor with details or accuracy. I heard that Howard offered the club his assistance and that is when they created very good maps, but only of northernmost Baja:

This is part of the 1974 edition:




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The earlier, 1962 edition:




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Shell Oil even produced a pretty fair map in 1958:







Zoom in:



Not bad for 1958!

I have a 1955 AAA map as well but before that, a 1941 road-guide map was the next one I know of...



Part of the 1941 map. The heavy dark line is not pavement, it is simply the main trans-peninsular road.

I have shared these on Nomad before... but they are way down on the Historic Interests forum, so let me know what year maps you would like to see more of.

Harald, please try and find any 1950s Mexican made maps of Baja California to share!

KurtG - 6-19-2020 at 12:02 PM

I have a very well used '56 edition as well as '58 and '62 both in very good condition. After seeing what these books are selling for I think the latter two may end up on ebay. Monies would go into my Baja Travel Fund and then I just have to live long enough to get back down to all my favorite places. I have marveled for years at the effort it took to complete that book. The level of detail and the quality of the maps is outstanding.

David K - 6-19-2020 at 12:53 PM

Quote: Originally posted by KurtG  
I have a very well used '56 edition as well as '58 and '62 both in very good condition. After seeing what these books are selling for I think the latter two may end up on ebay. Monies would go into my Baja Travel Fund and then I just have to live long enough to get back down to all my favorite places. I have marveled for years at the effort it took to complete that book. The level of detail and the quality of the maps is outstanding.


It changed my life... made me want to be just like Howard Gulick making maps and road logs (I met Howard when I was 8, just before our big trip from Tijuana to Cabo in 1966)!
Howard was an engineer with the city of Glendale, CA. Walt Wheelock was too (La Siesta Press books plus the revised in 1975 Baja California Guidebook, with Howard Gulick).

geoffff - 6-4-2021 at 10:14 PM

The 15 black & white map series in the back of the 1970 edition Gerhard & Gulick's Lower California Guidebook, stitched into a single image. (Click to enlarge.)



1967--Lower-California-Guidebook-Map.jpg
1967--Lower-California-Guidebook-Map--rotated.jpg




[Edited on 6-5-2021 by geoffff]

David K - 6-4-2021 at 11:02 PM

Very cool, geoffff.
It was the 1962 and 1967 edition maps, fyi.

geoffff - 6-4-2021 at 11:13 PM

Thanks! Year corrected.

David K - 6-4-2021 at 11:19 PM

You are a good soul!

BajaBlanca - 6-6-2021 at 08:32 PM

My gosh, those first maps are amazing! What detail. Years ago, my friend Tuly and I climbed El Portrero with a guide (which I could not attempt nowadays) and when you look at it on the map, it looks so innocent LOL. It was so difficult! Getting to El Potrero area was a 45 mile trip that took us 7 hours out of San Ignacio.

David K - 6-7-2021 at 08:45 AM

Quote: Originally posted by BajaBlanca  
My gosh, those first maps are amazing! What detail. Years ago, my friend Tuly and I climbed El Portrero with a guide (which I could not attempt nowadays) and when you look at it on the map, it looks so innocent LOL. It was so difficult! Getting to El Potrero area was a 45 mile trip that took us 7 hours out of San Ignacio.


Where is this El Potrero you climbed?
The only one I see on the Gulick map is a ranch south of Mulegé.

PaulW - 6-7-2021 at 09:06 AM

I am also curious
Here is what I found. I wonder if I am correct?