Emily Price2013-04-16 19:56:07 UTCBefore everyone had a smartphone in their pocket, a good road atlas was found in every car’s glove box, with many of those created by Rand McNally.
A staple in the space for the past 90 years, the Atlas creator celebrated its 90th birthday this week with the release of an ebook version of its 2014 Road Atlas as well as an interactive iPad app.
The digital version of the Atlas includes updated maps for all 50 states as well as Canadian provinces, Mexico and Puerto Rico, and detailed inset maps for larger cities and national parks. Much like its analog predecessor, the digital version can be used anywhere once you download it, and doesn’t require a data connection.
The first edition of Rand McNally’s Road Atlas was published in 1924. Called “Rand McNally Auto Chum,” the Atlas included hand-drawn maps of the contemporary 48 states, and only included paved roads.
The original atlas included zero miles of interstate, a far cry from 2014’s 47,000 miles of interstate and 160,000 miles of highways. It also didn’t include an index, so if you weren’t sure where a town was located, you’d have to flip through the book to find it.
Originally published in just two colors: dark blue and red, today’s version is printed in full color, making it possible to not only see the type and location of roads, but also get a feel for the terrain.
You can download Rand McNally’s 2014 Road Atlas for the iPad now from Apple’s App Store for $4.99, or pick up the analog version at your favorite bookstore.
Do you still use an Atlas when you travel? Tell us what you use for directions in the comments.
Thumbnail photo by Emily Price, Mashable; Screenshots courtesy of Rand McNally
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