Boundaries
Why County Boundaries Rarely Follow a Single Neat Line
Learn how to read county boundaries by tracing their bends and junctions, then use local records to distinguish…
All the stories
All stories
Browse the county stories by subject, from the lines on a map to the names and records that give places their particular texture.
Place Names
Field, Ford and Green: Reading English Place-Name Clues
English place-name clues can suggest fields, crossings and shared land; learn to compare word elements with maps and…
County History
The County Map Before the County Map
The county map before the county map reveals how written descriptions, local names and administrative records shaped…
Local Records
How to Read a County Map’s Scale, Symbols and Blank Spaces
Learn how to read a county map’s scale, symbols and blank spaces so you can interpret its purpose and explain what its…
Landscapes
A Slow Look at a County from the Highest Public Viewpoint
A county landscape from a public viewpoint becomes easier to read when you follow ridges, watercourses and settlement…
Our point of view
A county is a story told in place
Maps, names and records offer different clues. Put them together and familiar ground starts to read differently.