GEOGRAPHY & MAP READING

PickPik (n.d.). Royalty-Free photo: map, travel, compass, magnifying glass, orienteering, hiking, trekking, camping, explore, journey, reading. CC BY-SA.

Pathfinder Target Audience: History classes and all other interested students.

Pathfinder Purpose: This pathfinder provides sources to help students learn about geography and map reading skills. Current and historical map sources are provided. Also, some available travel guides housed in our media center are featured.

Need More Help?: Contact Media Coordinator, Mrs. Melissa Walker [email protected]

Section Quick Links:

Map Basics	Paper Maps vs. GPS Navigation
Current Resources	Historical Maps

MAP BASICS:

Person holding open road map while sitting in parked car. Used for decorative purposes.

Studio 7042 (n.d.). StockSnap. Map reading free stock image. CC BY-SA.

Did you know that cartography, or the art/science of drawing maps, has been a profession in human culture for centuries? Maps are certainly not new, but how we use them today has changed with technological advancements. For most people, the depth of their paper map reading skills tends to be tied to generational experiences. However, basic paper map reading skills are not just for people older than 40. Everyone should know the basics of map navigation. These sites offer an explanation of the parts of most maps and how to use them.

Want to know more about types of maps and their purpose? Check out this Crash Course video.

PAPER MAPS vs. GPS NAVIGATION

Planning a custom route with a paper map and following directions from a navigation app are two very different activities. Whether you are a fan of the old-school methods or a natural-born techie, it is a good idea to be familiar with both paper map reading and online apps. Here are some video highlights from both sides of the argument.

CURRENT RESOURCES:

Welcome to North Carolina Sign beside of road.

Lund, K. (June 7, 2011). Flickr. Welcome to North Carolina. CC BY-SA.

These online sources provide up-to-date road maps for North Carolina and for all of the United States.

North Carolina Department of Transportation: State Transportation Map:

This site offers the current highway map and city insets for our state. According to the website, the maps are “updated every two years.” Also historical maps in pdf format are available.
GISGeography:
This page offers a relatively updated map of the interstate highways in the United States. Last update month, day, and year are provided. There are also links to state maps on the page.

Wan't to Learn About Some Cool Destinations and How to Get There? Here are some travel and geography related books we have available in our media center.
The New Traveler's Atlas: A Global Guide to the Places You Must See in Your Lifetime by John Mann [et al.] Call # 910 NEW Contains maps, descriptions, facts, and photographs of nearly fifty special places to visit around the world, including the Grand Canyon, the Inca Trail, Egypt and the Nile, Venice, the coast of Norway, the Great Wall of China, Kyoto, Varanasi, the Great Barrier Reef, and the Galapagos Islands.	North Carolina: Off the Beaten Path: A Guide to Unique Places by Sara Pitzer Call # 917.56 PIT A guide to visiting North Carolina that focuses on hidden attractions, unique finds, and unusual locales throughout the state, and includes maps as well as addresses of places to eat and stay
Cartographia: Mapping Civilizations by Vincent Virga Call # 912 VIR A collection of over two hundred maps, including pages from "Theatrum Orbis Terrarum" and the human genome map, which provides information on the history of cartography as well as background information about the cultural, social, and economic conditions of the time in which the maps were drawn.	The Most Scenic Drives in America: 120 Spectacular Road Trips Call # 917.3 MOS Contains descriptions of 120 road trips in the United States, highlighting attractions along each route, and includes photographs, maps, notes on the length of the route, when to go, side trips, and contact information.
100 Great Journeys, editor Keith Lye Call # 910 100 Discusses one hundred travel routes to better explore places all over the world, and features U.S. Route 66, the hippie trail to Kathmandu, the Silk Roads, and other journeys described in history and literature.	Dream Destinations: 100 of the World's Best Vacations Call # 910 DRE Color photos and brief descriptions present glimpses of one hundred noteworthy vacation spots around the world.

Cover images and book summaries from Follett Destiny and Amazon used under Fair Use guidelines for educational use only.

HISTORICAL MAPS:

Woolworth, G. (1857.). Library of Congress. Map of the United States of America. Public Domain.

Many of our current interstates and highways follow paths taken by settlers in the early days, and some of those paths began as native American trails. Historical maps give us a glimpse into our past and can sometimes be interesting to examine in comparison to our current highway system. These sites offer historical data about transportation routes in our country.

Library of Congress: National System of Interstate and Defense Highways as of June, 1958:
Historical maps of our interstates and highways.
Library of Congress: Railroad Maps, 1828 to 1900:
Here, patrons can browse maps by state or region. On some of the available maps roadways and wagon trails are shown.
The University of Texas at Austin: University of Texas Libraries: Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection of Historic Road Maps:
The maps are listed by region and state.

Want to see more about the world history of cartography? Watch this interesting TED-Ed video: