# Mapping Your Community Part of the Citizenship in the Community Merit Badge Digital Resource Guide: [Introduction & Overview](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/citizenship-in-the-community/guide/index.md) *2. Knowing Your Community* > **2a.** Using an electronic mapping tool or paper map, locate and pinpoint the following services and landmarks in your community. Determine and record the distances from your home including driving time AND either walking or biking time. > > 1. Chief government buildings such as your city hall, county courthouse, and public works/services facilities > 2. Fire station, police station, and hospital nearest your home > 3. Parks, playgrounds, recreation areas, and trails > 4. Historical or other interesting points of interest. ## Why Map Your Community? Knowing where things are in your community is one of the most practical skills you can develop as a citizen. If there is an emergency, do you know where the nearest hospital is? If you want to attend a city council meeting, do you know how to get to city hall? This requirement turns you into someone who knows their community inside and out. Mapping also reveals something surprising: how much your community offers that you may never have noticed. Most people drive past government buildings, parks, and historical sites every day without giving them a second thought. This exercise changes that. > **Did You Know?** > > The average American lives within 10 minutes of a fire station. Fire departments strategically locate their stations so they can reach any address in their coverage area within 4–8 minutes — because in a fire, every second counts. ## Choosing Your Mapping Tool You can use a digital tool or a paper map. Here are your best options: ### Digital Tools - **Google Maps** (maps.google.com) — Search for locations, measure distances, and get driving, walking, and biking times with one click. - **Apple Maps** — Similar features to Google Maps, built into iPhones and iPads. - **OpenStreetMap** (openstreetmap.org) — A free, community-built map. Great for finding trails and parks that commercial maps sometimes miss. ### Paper Maps Your local chamber of commerce, visitor center, or library may have printed maps of your community. You can measure distances using the map's scale and estimate travel times based on average speeds (driving: ~25–35 mph in town; biking: ~10 mph; walking: ~3 mph). > **Tip** > > Google Maps lets you right-click any location and select "Measure distance" to draw a straight line or route between two points. This makes recording distances fast and accurate. ## What to Look For ### 1. Government Buildings These are the buildings where your community's leaders work and decisions get made. - **City Hall or Town Hall** — Where the mayor and city council offices are located. This is often where public meetings happen (you will attend one in Requirement 3). - **County Courthouse** — Where courts operate and county records are kept. If your community is the county seat, the courthouse is a major landmark. - **Public Works / Services Facilities** — These handle water, sewage, road maintenance, and waste management. They keep the infrastructure of your community running. ### 2. Emergency Services These are the places your community depends on in a crisis. - **Fire Station** — Find the one closest to your home. Many fire departments also handle medical emergencies. - **Police Station** — Your local law enforcement headquarters. Some communities have substations in different neighborhoods. - **Hospital or Emergency Room** — The nearest place to receive emergency medical care. Know the fastest route from your home. > **Safety First!** > > In any emergency, call 911 first. But knowing the physical location of your nearest fire station, police station, and hospital can be critical if phone service is unavailable or if you need to direct someone to the right place. ### 3. Parks and Recreation - **Parks and Playgrounds** — Public green spaces maintained by your community. - **Recreation Centers** — Facilities offering sports, classes, and community programs. - **Trails** — Walking, hiking, and biking paths. Many communities have connected trail systems. ### 4. Historical and Interesting Points This is the most open-ended category. Look for: - Historical buildings, monuments, or markers - Museums and cultural centers - Public art installations or murals - Sites of significant events in your community's history - Landmarks that define your community's identity ![A Scout sitting at a desk using a laptop to explore a digital map, with a printed community map and notebook beside them](https://ik.imagekit.io/doulacoop/tr:w-800/mbu-assets/merit-badges/citizenship-in-the-community/guide/scout-mapping-community?v=812d41ec) ## Recording Your Findings For each location, record: 1. **Name** of the place 2. **Address** 3. **Distance from your home** (in miles) 4. **Driving time** 5. **Walking or biking time** (your choice — pick one) Download: [Community Map & Distance Log](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/citizenship-in-the-community/guide/community-map-worksheet/) > **Tip** > > Organize your findings by category (government buildings, emergency services, parks, points of interest). When you present this to your counselor, a well-organized list is much more impressive than a jumbled one. ![An illustrated bird's-eye view of a small town showing labeled landmarks including a city hall, fire station, park, library, and hospital](https://ik.imagekit.io/doulacoop/tr:w-800/mbu-assets/merit-badges/citizenship-in-the-community/guide/community-landmarks?v=05215d66) [Google Maps — Measure Distance Tool](https://support.google.com/maps/answer/1628031): Learn how to measure distances between points on Google Maps. --- --- - Previous: [What Good Citizenship Means](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/citizenship-in-the-community/guide/req1/index.md) - Next: [Charting Local Government](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/citizenship-in-the-community/guide/req2b/index.md)