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History Lives: Patton Maps

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Alfred Patton (1897-1982) started his map business in his house at Patton’s Corner, the junction of Swamp Road and North Main Street in Cross Keys. In 1957 he incorporated as Alfred B Patton Inc. and was joined by George Ekstrom.

They produced their first commercial map – of Upper Bucks County – in 1965. Modest success convinced them to map Central and Lower Bucks County, followed by Montgomery and other nearby counties. Steadily expanding their stock year by year, Patton’s most popular map became the Philadelphia street map showing roads, railroads, towns, drainage, airports, schools, transportation terminals, hotels, government facilities, commercial/industrial facilities, religious institutions, theaters, post offices, country clubs, zip codes, hospitals, cemeteries, shopping centers, and parks.

In addition to city maps, maps of Eastern Pennsylvania, five New Jersey counties, Eastern Maryland, and the state of Delaware, the company produced custom maps for companies such as AT&T, Mobil Oil, Federal Express, and Kentucky Fried Chicken. And then there were specialty maps such as a Southcentral PA Trout Stocking Map and Patton’s Golf Map.

Patton retired in 1970, and the business continued with George Ekstrom as president and Alfred’s son, Edward Patton, as sales manager. Patton maps were widely available for sale at hundreds of news agencies and book, stationery and convenience stores in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.

Previously located at 713 Old Easton Road, in 1980 the company map store moved into a former Agway Egg Works across Swamp Road. There, Patton maps were produced and sold along with hundreds of maps made by competitors, and globes, nautical and aeronautical charts, topographic maps and related items until closing in 2001. Today that site is occupied by Marvic Supply.

Source: Intelligencer, February 22, 1981 and February 11, 1985.

doylestownhistorical.org


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