All posts filed under: Historical Maps

Historical Map: Planned Glasgow Subway Expansion Map, 2007

March 1, 2016
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In the lead-up to hosting the 2014 Commonwealth Games, Glasgow and the SPT came over all excited and proposed this spectacular “East End” expansion to the Glasgow Subway, potentially throwing away over 100 years of circumrevolutionary transit perfection.  As we now know, none of this ever came to fruition, saving everyone from having to call the expanded system “The Pair of Specs” (or something equally lame) instead of the current awesome “Clockwork Orange” sobriquet. The map itself […]

Historical Map: Pneumatic Mail Tube Network, Paris, 1967

March 1, 2016
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Paris’ other underground transportation system. This is a fantastic and detailed map of the once-extensive network of pneumatic tubes used for whisking messages, post and telegrams from one side of the city to the other. Established in 1866, the system remained in use until 1984, when it was finally supplanted by “modern” technology like fax and telex machines. At the system’s apogee, there were over 460 kilometres (285 miles) of tubes running beneath the city. Notable […]

Historical Map: “Avenue of the Americas” Subway Map, 1974

February 19, 2016
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Taken from a rather breathless prospectus promoting the Avenue of the Americas (also known as plain old Sixth Avenue, New York) as the economic and cultural epicentre of pretty much the entire universe. Produced by the Avenue of the Americas Association, and entitled simply “From humble beginnings to architectural and commercial greatness – the saga of the Avenue of the Americas: New York’s prestige address and one of the great thoroughfares of the world”, the […]

Historical Map: 1936 Japan National Railroad Map

February 18, 2016
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Via: xoverit: A sightseer’s travel map of Japan showing famous landmarks, mountains, seaside resorts and hot springs 1936 Japan National Railroad (JNR) map of the Japanese Empire including Korea, Taiwan, and Manchuria produced under the supervision of Prof. Sho Takahashi of the National Railroad Bureau. Suffice to say, it contains many amusing advertisements, including the one on the front cover which is for… some kind of hormone supplement lotion? This. Is. So. Beautiful. Such amazing detail […]

Submission – Unofficial Historical Map: Sydney Suburban Rail, 1950 by VoomMaps

February 10, 2016
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Submitted by VoomMaps, who says: Inspired by this schematic map of the Sydney Suburban Network from 1969 (June 2012, 2 stars), I decided to create a retro-looking map of the rail network in 1950 in a similar style. Transit Maps says: I think you’ve nailed the look and feel of this piece quite well, although – like me with my digital recreation of a 1939 map of the Sydney network – you’ve discovered that modern computer-designed […]

Historical Map: Inauguration Poster for Metro de Santiago de Chile, 1975

February 9, 2016
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A lovely celebratory poster for the Metro’s opening year, showing the overall envisioned network at the time. Only a short section of the red Linea 1 was actually open initially – as can be seen running across the poster about a third of the way down – and the eventual system as built today is substantially different to this vision (March 2014, 3.5 stars). Of particular interest are the black diamonds dotted liberally around the […]

Submission – Maps from the 1977 “Golden Gate Transit Guide”, showing South Marin and Larkspur Ferry Bus Services

February 5, 2016
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Submitted by Denis Agar, who says: Check out the Marin County transit maps on page 110 of this thesis (source below). They’re so distinct! Maybe you’ve seen them but I couldn’t NOT send you these. Vignelli much? Transit Maps says: I haven’t seen these before, Denis – and you’re right: they’re absolutely fantastic. I feel that the mid- to late-1970s was a time when America actually embraced clean, modernist “European” design, especially on the West […]

Submission – Historical Map: “The Short Way” Lines Map, Michigan, 1935

January 18, 2016
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Submitted by xoverit, who says: There was one other map inside of the 5 August 1935 Michigan Official Motor Bus Guide, and it’s quite different [to the Eastern Michigan Bus map previously featured – Cam], though suffering from the same cheap paper. Charmingly over-ornate, my favorite detail is that Poseidon seems to have taken up residence off of the Sleeping Bear Dunes. As for the map’s practical purpose, I guess it gets the job done. […]

Historical Map: Eastern Michigan Bus System Map, August 1935

January 3, 2016
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Submitted by xoverit, who says: I found this interesting thing inside of the 5 August 1935 Michigan Official Motor Bus Guide. It’s not a particularly good or notable map, but the logo of the Eastern Michigan System was obviously inspired by the London Underground! Transit Maps says: I’d say you’re almost certainly right… the “bullseye” (as it was called in those days, though it’s now commonly referred to as the “roundel”) was seized upon by transit agencies […]