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Mapmaker, Mapmaker, Make Me A Map


Subdeacon Joe

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https://mymodernmet.com/hidden-swiss-map-illustrations/?fbclid=IwAR3a1uh_wJoVXkwb8U4iG_rCGuhckpCHdU9FzV1cWs6udCku7wncQPGV3Ig

 

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The job of a cartographer leaves little room for creativity, as maps are expected to provide an accurate representation of a location. For several decades, however, mapmakers working for the Swiss Federal Office of Topography have subtly defied their role by secretly inserting hidden illustrations into official maps of Switzerland.

 

From a marmot hiding among the contour lines of the Swiss Alps to a fish blending into the grooves of a French nature preserve, it’s hard to believe these drawings went unnoticed for so many years. In fact, a rendering of a naked woman remained hidden for almost 60 years in the municipality of Egg, located in northern Switzerland. Her curved, reclined shape was composed in 1958 from a green marshland and blue river lines. The nude woman wasn’t found until 2012, and even the marmot remained unnoticed for five years. Short, parallel lines indicating mountainous slopes doubled as the creature’s fur, and its face, tail, and paws were concealed with clever relief shading.Hidden Illustrations in Swiss Maps

 

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Thanks Joe. :)

 

When I was a kid I was fascinated by maps. I had maps for places I had never been. I had maps for every state we ever went through that I used to get for free at gas stations (we moved a lot). I lost my entire box of maps when our house burned down when I was in 11th grade. :( I didn’t have much as a kid. I really loved those maps. 
Anyway, my fascination with maps, surveying and cartography developed from reading books about the  Lewis & Clark Expeditions and the Mountain Men that came later and then I read a book about the first survey teams that mapped the Pacific Northwest and decided I wanted to do that someday. Obviously, I never did but I still love maps, especially older maps that show what was versus what is now. 
 

To this day I trust maps over electronics. Maps don’t need batteries, satellites or electronics. 
 

Funny story. 
When I lived in Oregon I loved traveling the logging roads near Mt Hood National Forest and the surrounding areas. One day I was probably 35-40 miles from any pavement south of Mt Hood. The logging road I was in was very old and in pretty poor condition. Not quite 4x4 condition, but it was one rain storm away from there. 
I rounded a turn to find two Subaru Outbacks sitting in the road at a “Y” junction and a group of pretty young women frantically waving at me to stop. 
They were not typical women. They didn’t stop when they lost the directions / bearings. Haha. 
They had decided to take a little day trip but discovered that Cell Phone GPS is not a real and true GPS. They were lost, out of water and had just stopped in the hopes that someone would come along and help them. 
At least they had sense enough to not continue into unknown because I found out that had they proceeded down the road to the South, as they told me they were considering they would have run into some serious obstacles, as I found out for myself. 
I pulled over, got out my BLM maps and we figured out a good route home for them. They were shocked when they saw how far away from Portland they had traveled. 
I gave them the map we marked up, a half case of water and some Clif Bars and mixed nuts I kept for emergencies. 
I think the thing that fascinated them most was I had 2 of nearly the same map. One was recent and one was a few years old. I gave them the newest one. 
As we stood there talking I also made a list on the face of the map with permanent marker of the things they should have in their cars if they ever planned to do this again, like; small shovel, hatchet, matches, food, water, blankets, first aid, a real GPS, etc. 

The thing that really got me was how baffled they were that their smart phone GPS would not work once out of range of cell towers. I really think cell phone companies should tell people this. 
 

These weren’t the first people I had encountered like this and I am pretty sure they won’t be the last. 
 

Keep real maps in your car! Cell phones and electronics WILL let you down someday. 
 

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I truly miss my Thomas Guides maps.  They kept me on track (with a single exception) for eleven years as I worked my business in Southern California, one for each of nineteen counties we serviced.  That one exception showed a road though Irwindale from Pomona all the way into LA.  I cleverly deduced that there was an error when I found myself and my partner at a barrier and looking across about a mile of quarry.

 

I called Thomas the next morning and they thanked me.  They had discovered the error and were trying to find every one of a half million people who had bought their books.  I told them my office had forty one of them and the corrected pages were at my office the next day before noon with forty one coupons for the next year's edition.

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I have always loved maps. Google Earth is something i can play with at home on those days I cant get out. I have looked at every house and neighbor hood I ever lived in and lots of places I would like to go to.  But a paper map is special 

 

Imis

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8 minutes ago, Forty Rod SASS 3935 said:

 

I truly miss my Thomas Guides maps.  They kept me on track (with a single exception) for eleven years as I worked my business in Southern California, one for each of nineteen counties we serviced.  That one exception showed a road though Irwindale from Pomona all the way into LA.  I cleverly deduced that there was an error when I found myself and my partner at a barrier and looking across about a mile of quarry.

 

 


When I moved back to CA I got me a new Thomas’ Guide for LA and Orange Counties. Love these Thomas Guides. I was happily surprised they still made them. 
 

Here is a Thomas Guide “Atlas” for Arizona. Only 1 left. 
The Thomas Guide Arizona Road Atlas: Including Las Vegas https://www.amazon.com/dp/0528859374/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_EJM0EbKRXP6FB

 

 

 

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1 hour ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

The thing that really got me was how baffled they were that their smart phone GPS would not work once out of range of cell towers.

I never considered that.

 

But then, the first thing I do when I get a new phone is turn the GPS off. I much prefer maps.

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Show of hands.

 

How many clicked on the link to see the naked woman?

 

cat-raising-hand.jpg

 

Second show of hands.

 

How many were disappointed in the drawing?

depositphotos_7930354-Student-With-Hand-

 

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4 hours ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

Thanks Joe. :)

 

When I was a kid I was fascinated by maps. I had maps for places I had never been. I had maps for every state we ever went through that I used to get for free at gas stations (we moved a lot). I lost my entire box of maps when our house burned down when I was in 11th grade. :( I didn’t have much as a kid. I really loved those maps. 
Anyway, my fascination with maps, surveying and cartography developed from reading books about the  Lewis & Clark Expeditions and the Mountain Men that came later and then I read a book about the first survey teams that mapped the Pacific Northwest and decided I wanted to do that someday. Obviously, I never did but I still love maps, especially older maps that show what was versus what is now. 
 

To this day I trust maps over electronics. Maps don’t need batteries, satellites or electronics. 
 

Funny story. 
When I lived in Oregon I loved traveling the logging roads near Mt Hood National Forest and the surrounding areas. One day I was probably 35-40 miles from any pavement south of Mt Hood. The logging road I was in was very old and in pretty poor condition. Not quite 4x4 condition, but it was one rain storm away from there. 
I rounded a turn to find two Subaru Outbacks sitting in the road at a “Y” junction and a group of pretty young women frantically waving at me to stop. 
They were not typical women. They didn’t stop when they lost the directions / bearings. Haha. 
They had decided to take a little day trip but discovered that Cell Phone GPS is not a real and true GPS. They were lost, out of water and had just stopped in the hopes that someone would come along and help them. 
At least they had sense enough to not continue into unknown because I found out that had they proceeded down the road to the South, as they told me they were considering they would have run into some serious obstacles, as I found out for myself. 
I pulled over, got out my BLM maps and we figured out a good route home for them. They were shocked when they saw how far away from Portland they had traveled. 
I gave them the map we marked up, a half case of water and some Clif Bars and mixed nuts I kept for emergencies. 
I think the thing that fascinated them most was I had 2 of nearly the same map. One was recent and one was a few years old. I gave them the newest one. 
As we stood there talking I also made a list on the face of the map with permanent marker of the things they should have in their cars if they ever planned to do this again, like; small shovel, hatchet, matches, food, water, blankets, first aid, a real GPS, etc. 

The thing that really got me was how baffled they were that their smart phone GPS would not work once out of range of cell towers. I really think cell phone companies should tell people this. 
 

These weren’t the first people I had encountered like this and I am pretty sure they won’t be the last. 
 

Keep real maps in your car! Cell phones and electronics WILL let you down someday. 
 

NOT TO WORRY, PAT! GOOGLE WILL TELL YOU WHERE TO GO. 

 

READ RIGHT UP!

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I still like maps.  One time I took a bunch of topographic maps of contiguous quadrangles, carefully trimmed the edges and put them up on a wall aligned so the contour lines matched.

I'd also, for fun, draw a line, place paper on it, tick off the contour marks and draw a profile.  

Fun times.

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Love real physical maps. My first real job was a surveyor with the corps. After a days survey would draw them up. Was a fantastic experience learning that job and being out in the open air. I also spent a week putting aerial sections of land together. I was a real help to the guys because I had surveyed the area and knew where I was. They spent hours going over the photos and I did it in 30 minutes. Loved that job.

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I have enjoyed studying maps since I was a kid and it continues to this day. I have a lot of old worn-out maps and atlases, and they seem to be getting harder to find each year.

 

However....

 

 ...when I walked into Wally World the other day, right up front they had a huge display of Rand McNally road atlases. Maybe more people than we think are still looking at them.

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4 hours ago, Smoken D said:

Love real physical maps. My first real job was a surveyor with the corps. After a days survey would draw them up. Was a fantastic experience learning that job and being out in the open air. I also spent a week putting aerial sections of land together. I was a real help to the guys because I had surveyed the area and knew where I was. They spent hours going over the photos and I did it in 30 minutes. Loved that job.

If you were a surveyor you know what 40 rods is.  Amazing how many don't.

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Boy Scouts founder Robert Baden-Powel, in his 1915 book My Adventures as a Spy, wrote:

 

"This sketch of a butterfly contains the outline of a fortress, and marks both the position and power of the guns.  The marks on the wings between the lines mean nothing, but those on the lines show the nature and size of the guns, according to the keys below."

 

 

 

                          This illustration of a butterfly contains a secret map                                        A map hidden in an illustration of a butterfly

 

 

Look at the moth he sketched to map an enemy location.  The drawings contains intricate details about the enemy base, types of weaponry, and information about the landscape.  To local officials, he claimed, these drawings were totally undecipherable.

 

                 Baden-Powell's illustration of a moth contains hidden information              An illustration of a moth contains a hidden map

 

 

He wrote:  "Carrying this book and a colour-box and a butterfly net in my hand, I was above all suspicion to anyone who met me on the lonely mountain side, even in the neighbourhood of the forts."

 

 

                                          Baden-Powell hid a map on this leaf

 

 

 

 

 

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Hardpan, thank you.

 

I was unaware that he had written any books. I found eight on Gutenberg. Three about him and five by him, including that one.

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4 hours ago, Forty Rod SASS 3935 said:

If you were a surveyor you know what 40 rods is.  Amazing how many don't.

 

As we know a rod is perfect:D Therefor 40 x perfect = 660 :blink:

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Don't want to hijack this thread, but with all the knowledge here maybe someone can provide information about a new-for-me map interest. I've loved maps all my life; have a file cabinet drawer of older ones, many were free from gas stations.   Also an old crock full of rolled up topos bought for fishing trips over the years.  

 

My new map interest relates to the westward settlement of our country, particularly Trail of Tears, cattle trails, railroad expansion. I'm looking for frameable/displayable versions - especially would like to find remarqued ones. I like the small sketches showing details of  the land, the people, animals, equipment...usually found in the margins/borders. 

 

Would welcome any comments or suggestions. Thanks 

 

Ozark Okie

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1 hour ago, Ozark Okie said:

Don't want to hijack this thread, but with all the knowledge here maybe someone can provide information about a new-for-me map interest. I've loved maps all my life; have a file cabinet drawer of older ones, many were free from gas stations.   Also an old crock full of rolled up topos bought for fishing trips over the years.  

 

My new map interest relates to the westward settlement of our country, particularly Trail of Tears, cattle trails, railroad expansion. I'm looking for frameable/displayable versions - especially would like to find remarqued ones. I like the small sketches showing details of  the land, the people, animals, equipment...usually found in the margins/borders. 

 

Would welcome any comments or suggestions. Thanks 

 

Ozark Okie

Check out DixieGun Works catalog.  They have a bunch in the back pages.

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