10 Unusual Maps of Los Angeles

When you live in a city encompassing 4,752 square miles, a map sure comes in handy. I belong amongst the last generation of LA residents who grew up relying upon that spiral-bound cipher once used to navigate and unlock the many mysteries of Los Angeles sprawl in grid format. For decades the Thomas Guide was standard issue, visible inside nearly every Angeleno’s car until the appearance of smartphones and Google Maps arrived to navigate us across the city’s freeways and local arteries. But not all maps are designed for traffic guidance… some are created for the sheer pleasure of sectioning and categorizing our city for amusement’s sake: 

A judgmental map of Los Angeles, by S.H.F.

A map illustrating how many other major cities that can fit inside Los Angeles borders.

The Hand that Feeds LA, circa 1920s, via San Fernando Valley Historical Society (Calif.)

The Raymond Chandler Map of Los Angeles from Herb Lester Associates.

Hollywood: Film Capital of the World. from Los Angeles in Maps.

24 Hours in Los Angeles, a retail map by Libby VanderPloeg.

The city sectioned off by favorite slices of pizza by Kathryn McFarlane.

A map guiding you to where to eat when your heart craves meat by Alyson Thomas.

A letterpress minimalist rendition of Los Angeles by Archie Archaumbault.

The City of Angels recreated in playable map form with SimCity 4.