The Yardley Taylor 1853 Loudoun County map . Courtesy the Library of Congress . Below : 19th century “ viameter ” an early version of an odometer . The spokes of the wheel clicked against the attached counter dial , logging distance traveled .
accompanying pamphlet he called “ Loudon [ sic ] County , Virginia , To Accompany the Map of Loudon County by Yardley Taylor Surveyor .” It included the following explanation in which he referred to himself in the third person and explained how roadways were tracked :
“ In presenting to the Citizens of Louden [ sic ], the first map ever published of their County , it may not be deemed improper to give somewhat in detail , the means employed in its compilation . There being no Map of the County , from which materials could be used in constructing a new one , it was obviously necessary to make a survey of the whole county , before a correct map could be drawn . With these facts before him , the compiler determined to make a personal survey of all the leading roads in the county . Accordingly , a viameter was attached to his buggy , and in this way with his surveyor ’ s compass , he took the courses and distances of all the principal roads of the county , as well as many of less note . This enabled him to plot and lay down these roads accurately , and thus to locate the different towns and other places , in their proper position . While thus engaged the position of houses , courses of streams & c [ et cetera ] were noted so as to secure a degree of general correct- wander I fall • winter 2021 39