If pictures are worth 1,000 words, maps are worth a million - and Virginia is rich in mapping resources. From John Smith in 1607, through the Census in 2010, people have crafted maps to show the places where history happened. There are maps showing locations of Native American villages, shifting boundaries of counties, and the location of coal, gold, and other mineral resources in Virginia. Speculators planned railroad lines, soldiers documented locations of battles, and training camps in Northern Virginia for the Spanish-American war are marked on maps. Large-scale migrations of groups and an individual family’s past can be tracked through place names, and Geographic Information System (GIS) products document visions for the next 20 years of land use in Loudoun. Come discover the wide range of maps one can use and explore the stories behind those maps. Charlie Grymes taught “Geography of Virginia” at George Mason University (see www.virginiaplaces.org). He retired from the US Department of the Interior after over 30 years in a variety of jobs, including park ranger, scenic easement administrator, and information technology manager. He now serves on the boards of local non-government organizations and pesters his local officials regularly.