Explore Maps, Jefferson County, West Virginia 2007, 3rd Edition
The Map
In 1999, Explore Maps® published its first map, “Jefferson County, West Virginia.” The county was in the process of renaming roads to streamline emergency response, and there was a need for the public to know these new names.
Creating this map was a labor of love for Lori Simmons. The map was compiled using USGS 7½’ quad maps. The county was generous in sharing the new road names. A stickler for accuracy, Simmons drove nearly every road in the county to double-check all information.
The map is more than a road map. It contains trails, recreational areas, and historic places. The American Congress on Surveying and Mapping recognized this map with an award in the Reference Category.
The Map Maker
Lori A. Simmons was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and grew up in nearby Emmaus. Lori has wanted to be a cartographer since 10th grade. She majored in geography and graduated from the Pennsylvania State University in 1979. She worked at NOAA creating nautical charts for two years before accepting her dream job as cartographer for the National Park Service at the Interpretive Design Center in Harpers Ferry, WV. Her 30-plus years at the NPS allowed her to make visitor maps and travel to parks all around the country. In 1999, Lori started a map publishing company, Explore Maps®. It was a one-woman operation in which Lori did all of the research, design, and production.
