I know atlases and roadmaps were a lot more common, but from my understanding those give more of a broader view of a large area like major roads and stuff. If you needed to find a small subdivision or small road, how would you do that before the internet?
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Your search for almost anything began with a phone book. Most businesses would be helpful in giving directions. Gas stations were often a good resource. Where there was a will, most would often find the way.
paper maps, phone book, yellow pages, directory assistance and a land line. Oh, and the sun, the moon and other cosmic indicators of cardinal directions. Maybe mountains always on the west for example.
if you were going on vacation AAA would make a strip map from your start to your finish, with written directions just like google maps does today, except it was on paper
95% of addresses were easy. Just the street and the number, the map would get you close enough, and you cold intuitively find it by looking at the numbers you were near and heading the way you needed to go. There have always been really jacked up instances though. Like roads that are broken by a highway or railroad and then continue on the other side as if nothing happened. A lot of times, when you got in this situation, the wife would MAKE you stop at a gas station or other locality to ask someone and they always knew the deal. … and then the wife had to pee, and 20 minutes later, you were back in the car, and would eventually find it. Luckily, back then, most of the store clerks spoke English.
In between maps, which everyone has covered, and GPS, you could use mapquest or similar websites (precursors to google maps) and print the turn by turn directions.
Edit: I guess the question was pretty specific before that time as well, but maybe someone will learn anyways
Street guides and logical grid layouts.
If the address is in the old square grid part of town, it’s simple.
In my town, Main Street runs north and south, and east-west numbering starts from there. There is no First Street now, but Second Street is up by the river, and north-south numbering starts from there. Even numbered buildings are on the north and west sides of the street, odd numbers on the south and east.
So, if you’re looking for 2408 W. 71 Street, and you know that State Line Road is 1900 West, you would go to State Line Road, travel along it to 71 Street, turn west, go five blocks, and start looking for 2408 on the north side of the street. Easy peasy.
Of course, this skill does little good in the twisty turny suburbal streets.
My son is 21 and for some reason he prefers using atlases rather that GPS. He has an iPhone, but always pulls out the old Thomas Guide.
He lives in rural Maine and just prefers to use the map. He also lives in a tent and is building a small log cabin. He’s a different breed.
– You can get detailed paper maps of a particular city.
– Send people directions in invitations or business advertising.
– Call them on the phone and ask for directions.
– Get someone familiar with the area to show you.
– Signage on highways gives directions to major attractions like stadiums, airports etc.
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