Using Maps

FINDING THE OLD RED TRAIL
In 1914, there were not any highways or interstates. There also weren’t any maps showing travelers where to go. Travelers had to find their own way around, or stop at farmhouses and ask for directions. It was very easy to get lost and so people did not use their automobiles for long trips to places they weren’t familiar with.

Even though many people owned automobiles, they still mostly traveled by train. To encourage traveling by automobile, the American Automobile Association developed the first maps for automobile travelers. The Red Line Trail was mapped in 1914 and ran from New York to Yellowstone National Park and then all the way to Seattle.

The Red Line Trail followed a route that went through North Dakota from Fargo, through Bismarck, and exited the state just west of Beach. It covered 350 miles in length.

Student Activity Sheets
Handout: ND County map.pdf
Worksheet: ND county outlines.pdf

Directions:
Step 1
The Red Line Trail passed through nine counties: Cass, Barnes, Stutsman, Kidder, Burleigh, Morton, Stark, Billings, and Golden Valley. Find these counties on the North Dakota map and color them in on your worksheet.

Step 2
The Red Line Trail passed through five major cities: Fargo, Valley City, Jamestown, Bismarck, and Dickinson. Find these cities on your map and mark them on your worksheet.

Step 3
Draw where you think the Red Line Trail in red pencil, pen or crayon on your worksheet.

Discussion:
Show students where the Red Line Trail actually ran. What reasons can students think of why the trail did not follow the path they thought it would?