DIY Cartography

View SMU in a larger map

A while ago, I posted a local map that SMU students and I have been building up with images and stories about the Olympia/Lacey area.

DIY Maps are becoming increasingly popular. This article in the NYT describes some interesting mapping projects.

Here is how we created our map using Google MyMaps and Flickr.

1. Create a map in Google MyMaps.
2. Upload some photos to Flickr.
3. Go to your myMaps in google and click on the map that you created
4. Click on the Edit button
5. Click on one of the pins that you've added to your map
6. Click on Edit HTML in the window that pops up



7. Now open a new browser window or tab and go to Flickr
8. Find an image in Flickr that you want to embed into your Map
9. Click on Share This and then copy the code in Grab the HTML
10. Go back to your map and paste the code into the pin pop-up window that you had opened. Make sure you are still in Edit HTML mode, otherwise it won't work.



11.If you want that image to also act as a link, switch to Rich Text mode, select the image and then click on the chain link icon at the top of the window. Paste a URL into the prompt that pops up.



12. Be sure to hit Done and Save in Google myMaps.


Now the pin in your Google Map will have the image from Flickr. To embed the map into your webiste or blog:

13. Click on Link on top right of your map, then copy code from Paste HTML to embed in website and paste it into your blog or website HTML. Notice the customize and preview option. You can select the size and exact view of the map to be embedded.