News & Publicity FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 18, 1999 Contact: Jim Willinger (800) 279-7654

The Maps Have Changed Over The Last 25 Years Phoenix, Arizona—Twenty-five years ago, the metropolitan Phoenix area had less than one million people. There was no Squaw Peak , Pima, Papago, or Hohokam Freeway. Loop 101 was just the dream of a transportation planner. The Superstition Freeway was only a 2-1/2 mile section from I-10 to Rural Rd. Apache Trail in Mesa was still US Highway 60 and there was still an Indian School on Indian School Road. Sun City West did not exist and Ahwatukee was a new community out in the county with less than 100 homes. Scottsdale did not extend much north of the small municipal airport and the City of Gilbert was a small 4 square-mile city surrounded by farmland.   A small local company made their first map of the Phoenix area 25 years ago using ink pens, straight edges, circle templates, and pasting up sticky type. Back then, Phoenix Mapping struggled to convince people that a map was needed for the area. Company president, Bob Molner, remembers; "Folks who lived here for a while knew where all the streets were, and if you couldn’t find something, you just stopped and asked at the gas station." After several years of struggling with the business, things started to catch on. Fast-paced growth, more newcomers, even self-serve gas stations all worked in favor of this start-up map company.   Today, Phoenix Mapping Service, the publishing division of Wide World of Maps, Inc., is releasing its 1999 edition Phoenix Metropolitan Street Atlas. This edition marks the 25th annual update of what has become a very popular street map book. Not only have the maps changed in the last 25 years; but the way the maps are made has changed too. A few years ago the company converted and transformed the old pen and ink drawings into more than 200 digital drawing layers that are now used to make street atlases, wall maps, folded maps and a variety of custom map products. The new digital mapping methods provide greater accuracy, content and graphic flexibility. But, many of the original elements of the first base map done in 1974 remain on the new maps. Some of the older areas of the cities have not changed much in 25 years, and mountains and rivers rarely change. The new maps are now more colorful and cover more than 2400 square miles to include Phoenix, Mesa, Tempe, Scottsdale, Glendale and 25 other cities and towns that comprise the Phoenix metropolitan area.   In addition to the updated full-detail street maps, the new Phoenix Metropolitan Street Atlas contains a comprehensive alphabetical street index that lists the location and map reference to more than 12,000 streets. The book also contains enlarged detail maps of Downtown Phoenix, Downtown Scottsdale, Central Corridor, Sky Harbor International Airport and the ASU campus, along with helpful major street maps showing Zip Codes, School Districts and the Freeway Construction Plan. A large 17"x22" full-color foldout map showing major streets is included as a special bonus.   The Phoenix Metropolitan Street Atlas is available now for $17.95 at most office supply stores, bookstores and blueprint shops. They can also be purchased at the Wide World of Maps stores in Phoenix and Mesa, or by calling 279-2323. Outside of the metro Phoenix area, call toll free at 800-279-7654.   Phoenix Mapping Service also publishes special Census Tract, Assessor and Zip Code edition atlases and wall maps of metro Phoenix. With a focus on Arizona, the company produces over 90 titles including street maps, maps of counties, the state, and numerous specialty and customized maps.   # # #   For more information contact: Jim Willinger, Phoenix Mapping Service, 2626 West Glenrosa Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85017, (602) 433-0616 FACT SHEET   Wide World of Maps . . . Arizona’s source for map expertise. 2626 W. Indian School Rd. • Phoenix, AZ 85017 • (602) 279-2323   PHOENIX METROPOLITAN STREET ATLAS – 1999 Publisher: Wide World of Maps, Inc. ISBN: 1-887749-15-2 Metal Wire-O Binding 11"x11" 130 pp. $17.95 Release date: January 18, 1999 Availability: All major office suppliers, book stores, area shops, or order directly by calling toll free 1-800-279-7654 Coverage area: More than 2,400 square miles of large-scale, full-detail mapping Major cities: Apache Junction, Avondale, Buckeye, Carefree, Cave Creek, Chandler, Fountain Hills, Gilbert, Glendale, Goodyear, Mesa, Paradise Valley, Peoria, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Sun City, Sun City West, Sun Lakes, Surprise, Tempe Communities also included: Aguila, Ahwatukee Foothills, Cashion, Desert Hills, El Mirage, Estrella Mountain Ranch, Gila Bend, Gold Canyon Ranch, Guadalupe, Litchfield Park, New River, Queen Creek, Rio Verde, Sun City Grand, Tolleson, Wickenburg, Wittman, Youngtown Other Features: • Quick Reference, Fold-out Metro Area Map • Location Guide showing recreation sites, golf courses, shopping centers • Enlargements of Downtown Phoenix, Central Corridor, and Downtown Scottsdale • Arizona State University campus map • Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Map • Freeway & Expressway Plan • School District and Zip Code Maps • Multiple grid references that work with related map products and GPS units.   Founded in 1975 by Robert Molner and James Willinger, Wide World of Maps is the most complete map store in the Southwest, carrying every U.S.G.S. topographic map for Arizona, along with more than one million other maps, books and related items. The firm’s Phoenix Mapping Service division publishes the metropolitan street atlases for Phoenix and Tucson, and produces custom maps for government and business. Their retail stores are located in Phoenix and Mesa. For information on anything map-related, call (602)279-2323.

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