California first responders keep this old-school problem solver by their side

PHOTOS: This month, the 57th edition of the Los Angeles-Orange County Thomas Guide is being published. The thick, rectangular, spiral-bound road atlas is the stuff of memories for many Southern Californians who will smile and reminisce simply at hearing the name. But ask anyone under the age of, say, 40, and youโ€™re likely to be met with a blank stare. Crumpled, splattered, greasy and well-thumbed, Thomas Guides were a mandatory passenger for basically any vehicle for most of the last century. The gridded and indexed map book neatly laid out every street, freeway and intersection within its given region, from Downtown LA alleyways to tucked-away Topanga Canyon home addresses.

SFGATE โ€“ Metered Site

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