Vol XII, No. 2 - Winter 2004
Contents |
In Focus |
Mapmaking |
In Memoriam |
Geography |
Awards |
Profile
Suzie Young, President of Rockford Map Publishers, is the third generation to head the company. Founded in 1944, RMP is celebrating its 60th year publishing plat books and landowner information.
Located in Rockford, Illinois, Rockford Map Publishers is a family owned mapping company. The principal product produced by RMP is a plat book that is available in both print and digital form. Plat books are compilations of land ownership data by section, township, and county. Each book is issued by county. The county is divided geographically by township and then by section. In theory, each township is 36 square miles and is comprised of 36 sections, each one square mile in area. Because of geography, such as rivers, lakes, and topography, these sizes may vary.
Suzie Young heads RMP, as did her mother, Joy Dummer, and grandfather, J.Q. Cummings. Suzie has been involved with all aspects of RMP since high school. A retail window display artist, Cummings founded the company in his home basement in 1944. The first plat book produced by RMP was that of Jefferson County, Wisconsin in early 1945. Since then, nearly 600 plat books, throughout 18 states, have been published. The books cover primarily the Midwest although work is currently being done in Alabama and other markets.
Since Cummings founded the company, there have been many changes in how the maps are created. Originally drawn in pen and ink, today the maps are created in a digital format. One thing that hasn't changed is the way the data are collected. Although some data are available electronically, RMP has found it more advantageous to send staff to research the land records in the specific county. This is particularly important when it comes to verifying questionable pieces of information, Suzie noted. Suzie is proud of these staff for their keen attention to detail, accuracy, and commitment to excellence. This labor-intensive task includes recording land data, such as size, and ownership information.
Other than offering plat books, RMP can customize maps to fit a client's needs. Examples are cow census maps, school district maps, and zoning maps. The data are also used to create four-color laminated county wall maps. Full on-line data delivery will also be available in the near future.
The client base is as diverse as the product. Agricultural, real estate, and land development businesses are the primary consumers. Hunters also buy the product to identify land ownership and public hunting grounds. Utility companies, such as telecommunication and pipeline, find the data helpful in planning new routes. The books can be found in many county clerk offices, too.
RMP keeps an historical archive of each plat book. A diverse group of clients use the archive - from genealogists to site planners. These books give a record of who lived on the property or how the property was used. For example, a chemical company may have owned a parcel and may have disposed of toxic waste on the site.
Heading into its seventh decade, Rockford Map has found that its products are very much in demand by government officials, business owners, and individuals alike. To find out whether RMP publishes a plat book of your area, turn to the Web at www.rockfordmap.com or call 1-800-321-1MAP to place an order. Your local 4-H club, farm bureau, bank, or title company may have one too!
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