"A map is a graphic portrayal of a part or all of the earth," it was explained. "The growth of knowledge about the world can be traced in maps that were drawn to record discoveries." In the United States, George Washington played an instrumental part in getting America's roads on a map. Researchers at Rand McNally & Co "trace the origin of the road map to the first caveman who scratched a pattern in dirt to guide his fellows to a new hunting ground. The first 'official' American road maps, however, are believed to have been prompted by George Washington in 1777. And in 1789 – the year the Constitution was ratified and Washington was elected President – the first Road Atlas appeared."
How to follow a road map? It was mentioned back in 1962, "Making a successful trip by following a road map is somewhat like baking a cake. You have to know the recipe. On a road map, the 'recipe' is the legend which appears usually at the lower right hand corner, indicating how various types of roads are portrayed, what different types of route markings mean, and special symbols used to designate towns or points of interest."
The American Automobile Association had pointed out "the principal key to reading any map is its legend. One of the first items in a map's legend is the mileage bar which shows the scale of the map. This scale gives you an idea of how much detail you can expect from the map you are using. A small scale showing many miles of surface will tell you at a glance that you will get less detail than on a larger scale map.
"Most maps differentiate among various types of roads by using different types of lines to indicate them. On most AAA maps, for example, double black lines with a red full indicate limited access highways. Open double red lines indicate divided highways, and solid red lines denote 4-lane highways. Solid black lines show paved roads, the heavier ones for important through roads and thinner ones for less important roads. Other types of markings indicate unpaved roads and roads under construction. The various types of markings are shown in the map's legend. The legend also will show you how route numbers are indicated. AAA maps use 2 types of shields for Federal highways – one to designate the Interstate Highway System and the other U.S. Highways. A circular symbol is used to show state roads. Some maps will also have symbols applying to county highways and farm roads.
"Another explanation you will find in the legend is the way mileages are shown between towns. A second important aid in road map reading is the index of towns and villages. This is usually printed either at the bottom of the map or on the reverse side, and give you a key for locating the towns listed. Most maps use cross-keys of letters and numbers, so you can quickly isolate the area in which the city you are seeking is located. On AAA's Northeastern map, for example, you will find that Buffalo, New York is keyed to 'H-19'. By drawing imaginary lines from the letter H at the left side of the map, and from the number 19 at the top of the map, you will find that they intersect near Buffalo. Most road maps also indicate time zones, where they apply, and carry distinct markings for state lines and in some cases county lines. The areas of national and state parks are often shown in contrasting color. Some maps use symbols to designate special points of interest. The larger the area covered by a road map, the fewer special markings you can expect."
It was reported there were 18,000 changes in maps and information from 1972 to 1973 in the Atlas, which encompassed all 50 states, Canada and Mexico. Paul Tiddens was the senior editor of Rand McNally's Road Atlas made the point in 1973, "We have to keep the information the motorist needs clear. The basic idea is to help someone get from where he is to where he is going as easily as possible, providing safety, enjoyment of the trip and saving him gasoline...and when a major connection to a highway or a new bridge opens we want to get the information out to the public as soon as possible. If we know a road will be closed for 6 months we put that on the map." The first road maps were said developed around 1895 but "were merely verbal descriptions of the road, later accompanied by photographs of junctions and landmarks." In 1974 Rand McNally’s first Road Atlas celebrated its 50th anniversary.
"Another explanation you will find in the legend is the way mileages are shown between towns. A second important aid in road map reading is the index of towns and villages. This is usually printed either at the bottom of the map or on the reverse side, and give you a key for locating the towns listed. Most maps use cross-keys of letters and numbers, so you can quickly isolate the area in which the city you are seeking is located. On AAA's Northeastern map, for example, you will find that Buffalo, New York is keyed to 'H-19'. By drawing imaginary lines from the letter H at the left side of the map, and from the number 19 at the top of the map, you will find that they intersect near Buffalo. Most road maps also indicate time zones, where they apply, and carry distinct markings for state lines and in some cases county lines. The areas of national and state parks are often shown in contrasting color. Some maps use symbols to designate special points of interest. The larger the area covered by a road map, the fewer special markings you can expect."
It was reported there were 18,000 changes in maps and information from 1972 to 1973 in the Atlas, which encompassed all 50 states, Canada and Mexico. Paul Tiddens was the senior editor of Rand McNally's Road Atlas made the point in 1973, "We have to keep the information the motorist needs clear. The basic idea is to help someone get from where he is to where he is going as easily as possible, providing safety, enjoyment of the trip and saving him gasoline...and when a major connection to a highway or a new bridge opens we want to get the information out to the public as soon as possible. If we know a road will be closed for 6 months we put that on the map." The first road maps were said developed around 1895 but "were merely verbal descriptions of the road, later accompanied by photographs of junctions and landmarks." In 1974 Rand McNally’s first Road Atlas celebrated its 50th anniversary.
