Settlements
Why Towns Gather Where Routes Cross
Why towns gather where routes cross depends on more than traffic: learn to read the crossing, its exchange, and the…
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Explore Open Regional News by subject: from the shape of landscapes and settlements to the routes, boundaries and names that give regions their character.
Routes
River Valley or Ridge Road: Two Ways Through a Region
Compare a river valley route with a ridge road to choose the corridor that best fits your journey, terrain…
Routes
The Old Road Under the New Street
Learn how to trace an old road beneath a new street by comparing maps, street patterns, terrain and place names…
Boundaries
The Boundary the Landscape Does Not Mark
Regional boundaries often have no visible mark on the ground. Learn to separate mapped lines from local ideas of where…
Place Names
A Place Name, Read with Care
A place name, read with care: separate its written form, possible history and present use to avoid turning a plausible…