MapQuest

Before smartphones and GPS were in every pocket, getting from point A to point B often involved a foldable paper map. In 1996, a company called MapQuest launched the first commercial web mapping service, fundamentally changing how people navigated. Its origins trace back to 1967 as a traditional map-making division of R.R. Donnelley & Sons called Cartographic Services. Led by individuals like Barry Glick and Perry Evans, the company transitioned to the internet, recognizing the digital future. MapQuest became so dominant that its name turned into a verb for getting directions. The platform allowed users to input a start and end address to generate turn-by-turn directions, which they would typically print out. In 1999, the company went public on the Nasdaq. This success caught the attention of an early internet giant, America Online (AOL), which announced its acquisition of MapQuest for $1.1 billion in stock later that year. The deal, which closed in 2000, was aimed at integrating mapping services into AOL's growing portfolio of online services. For a time, MapQuest was the undisputed leader in online maps, holding the vast majority of the market share. However, the launch of more interactive and seamlessly integrated competitors in the mid-2000s marked the beginning of a new chapter in digital navigation.