The Secret Streets That Never Existed
In the world of cartography, precision and accuracy are paramount. It surprises some that certain map features were never intended to represent real-world geography. Among the most intriguing of these are a “trap street.” These are fictional roads, towns, or other geographical features. Cartographers deliberately insert them into maps. These phantom elements serve a unique purpose: protecting intellectual property.
The Origins of the Trap Street
The concept of a trap street dates back to the early 20th century. The underlying principle—placing false information as a marker for ownership—is even older. Dictionary makers have been known to insert fake words (sometimes called “mountweazels”). They do this to catch plagiarists. Mapmakers devised a similar technique.
At its core, a trap street is a copyright trap. If a competing cartographer reproduces a map, they include a non-existent street or place. This addition serves as direct evidence of copying. This legal strategy allowed cartographic publishers to protect their labor-intensive work. The period made reproducing maps relatively easy but legally murky.
Trap streets aren’t always actual streets. They can be fake cul-de-sacs, misspelled town names, nonexistent footpaths, or invented buildings and parks. Some were so subtle that even careful readers missed them. Others became part of the public consciousness. They sparked rumors and urban legends.
Famous Examples of a Trap Street
Let’s look at a few notable examples of trap streets (and their variants) from across the globe.
1. Agloe, New York – The Town That Became Real
Agloe is the most famous example of a map-based copyright trap. It is a fictional hamlet invented in the 1930s by General Drafting Co. in New York. The name was an acronym created from the initials of two employees, Otto G. Lindberg and Ernest Alpers.
Agloe first appeared on a map distributed by Esso (now ExxonMobil). Years later, Rand McNally—another major map publisher—also included Agloe in one of their maps. General Drafting accused them of copying. However, Rand McNally claimed the town actually existed. They pointed to a general store in the area named the “Agloe General Store.” Ironically, the fictional town had inspired a real-world presence, rendering the original copyright trap ineffective.
Agloe became the topic of legal debate and cultural fascination. It even appeared in literary fiction as a key plot point in John Green’s novel Paper Towns.
2. Beetham, England – A Phantom Cul-de-sac
In the UK, the Ordnance Survey—the national mapping agency—has long denied the inclusion of trap streets in their official maps. Nevertheless, examples have emerged over the years.
A well-known case involved a small street in Beetham, Cumbria. It appeared on certain street maps, but it did not exist in reality. Researchers eventually determined it had been added as a trap street. The map publisher admitted that the street had been inserted to detect unauthorized reproduction of their product. The street quietly disappeared in subsequent editions once its purpose was served.
The specific name of the phantom cul-de-sac in Beetham, England, is not publicly documented. This non-existent street appeared in certain editions of Philip’s Street Atlas Cumbria. Philip’s Maps published these editions.
3. Mount Richard – A Nonexistent Peak
In another creative twist, some publishers inserted fake mountains or rivers rather than streets. Mount Richard is one such case. It is a nonexistent peak that once appeared on a Colorado map. This map was published in the mid-20th century. It served no geographical function but operated purely as a copyright trap.
Mount Richard is interesting. It blends the boundaries between street-based traps and more topographic inventions. This broadens the category of what constitutes a “trap street.”
4. Lillian Mountweazel – A Parallel in Encyclopedias
Although not a trap street per se, Lillian Virginia Mountweazel is an important analog. She was a fictitious photographer included in the 1975 edition of the New Columbia Encyclopedia. Her biography claimed she had died in an explosion while on assignment for Combustibles magazine. The entry was purely fictional and designed to catch copyright violators.
Mountweazel’s legacy has been very influential. Although not part of cartographic tradition, fake entries of all types—including trap streets—are sometimes referred to as “mountweazels.”
Legal and Ethical Questions of a Trap Street
The practice of inserting trap streets, while clever, has not been without controversy. Critics argue that intentionally misleading map readers—even in minor ways—compromises the integrity of the map. Others suggest that modern copyright law offers better ways to protect intellectual property without resorting to deceit.
In most cases, trap streets were harmless—a false cul-de-sac in a residential area would cause little confusion. We now live in an age where mapping software is used for emergency services, logistics, and automated navigation. Any misinformation can have consequences.
Mapmakers today must balance copyright protection with ethical obligations, and many have abandoned the use of trap streets entirely. Digital tools now allow for more secure watermarks. They also allow embedded copyright signatures, which are invisible to users. These can be proven in court.
Trap Streets in the Digital Age
With the rise of GPS and digital mapping platforms like Google Maps, OpenStreetMap, and Mapbox, the landscape has shifted. Companies like Google use automated processes and massive databases to create their maps. These systems are less prone to traditional forms of plagiarism, but concerns about map data theft still exist.
Interestingly, some evidence suggests that digital map providers have flirted with modern equivalents of trap streets. In 2010, users of Google Maps discovered streets that didn’t exist, sparking speculation about trap features. Google never confirmed whether these were intentional or simple errors.
Meanwhile, OpenStreetMap, an open-source mapping project, prohibits the inclusion of false data. Their strict data validation and community editing model make trap streets less possible, though not entirely impossible.
Why a Trap Street Still Matter
Despite being largely obsolete, trap streets stay an important part of cartographic history. They illustrate how the art and science of mapmaking intersect with legal strategy, creativity, and even a touch of mischief.
Trap streets offer historians and map collectors a way to track the evolution of copyright protection. They also reveal the idiosyncrasies of different map publishers. For the general public, they remind us that maps—far from being sterile, unbiased documents—are human-made, and sometimes, intentionally flawed.
They also raise broader philosophical questions. If a fake place inspires real-world changes (as with Agloe), does it cease to be fake? How do maps shape our perceptions of the world? And where is the line between protecting intellectual labor and misleading the public?
Final Thoughts
Trap streets are one of cartography’s most fascinating quirks—a blend of creative defense, subtle deception, and historical curiosity. They are vanishing from modern maps. Yet, their legacy endures. It serves as a reminder of the lengths to which mapmakers have gone to safeguard their work.
Digital maps are constantly updated in today’s world. They are layered with user-generated content and backed by satellite imagery. It’s easy to forget the hand-drawn roots of the discipline. Trap streets are hidden Easter eggs in these historical documents. They whisper to us about the secret lives of mapmakers and the clever tricks they once played.
Have you ever found a street on a map that didn’t exist? Or do you suspect a phantom feature in your hometown? Let us know in the comments—your town just may have a cartographic ghost!