The first United States transcontinental road trip was completed in 1903, and Americans have been enamored with the open road ever since. The only thing more American than a road trip? A literary route celebrating American authors. The Library of Congress’ Language of the Land exhibit collects bookish state maps that chart the regions and the writers who loved them, either through birth or discovery.

1. ARKANSAS

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2. ILLINOIS

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3. INDIANA

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4. IOWA

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5. LOS ANGELES (not a state, but the ultimate driving town)

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6. LOUISIANA

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7. MAINE

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8. MISSISSIPPI

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9. NEBRASKA

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10. NEW JERSEY

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11. NEW YORK (THE CITY, NOT THE WHOLE STATE)

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12. OHIO

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13. OKLAHOMA

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14. PENNSYLVANIA

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15. TENNESSEE

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16. VIRGINIA

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17. WASHINGTON

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18. WYOMING

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