Start Mapping

OpenStreetMap US is all about promoting and growing OpenStreetMap in the US. All the actual mapping is happening over on OpenStreetMap.org. You can join the fun yourself within minutes by creating an account and completing the beginner walkthrough.

Anyone and everyone is welcome to contribute to the map! Here’s what you need to get started:

Create an account on OpenStreetMap.org

You’ll need a free account to add and edit features on OpenStreetMap. Using Chrome, Firefox, or Safari is recommended.

Open https://openstreetmap.org/
In the upper right-hand corner, click ‘Sign Up’
Enter your email address for confirmation
Choose and enter your Display Name (i.e. your username)
Choose and enter a password
Click the blue, ‘Sign Up’ button
Check your email for confirmation and click the link in the body of the email.
Congratulations! You now have your OpenStreetMap account

Take the iD Editor ‘Walkthrough’

OpenStreetMap has an editor built right into the browser, known as iD. The iD editor comes with a short, but comprehensive tutorial for beginners.

Point your browser to https://openstreetmap.org
Log in to your OSM account.
Center the map somewhere on your neighborhood, zooming in to the city block-level.
Now click ‘Edit’ from the OpenStreetMap page and select, ‘Edit with iD’
Then click, ‘Start the Walkthrough’ as shown at right.
Now you’re ready to start mapping!

Interesting things to map

If you’re looking for good places to start mapping, here are a couple of ideas:

Go outside, what’s new in you city? A café that just opened? A school that changed its name? A new street or building that’s not on the map yet? Log on to OpenStreetMap and update the map.
Map the neighborhood you grew up in or your last vacation spot.
Follow OpenStreetMap US on twitter or on the OSM Wiki for new mapping ideas each month.
Log on to MapRoulette and start improving OpenStreetMap with a one-minute task at a time.
Join a mapping project in the US with other mappers on the OpenStreetMap US Tasking Manager.
Map to support humanitarian efforts and pick a task from the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team’s Tasking Manager.

Practice mapping with others!

Interested in learning and mapping alongside others? TeachOSM hosts Map-Along events twice a month for mappers to come together to learn and practice the basics of OpenStreetMap in a casual environment. Sign up for the next Map-Along here.

Looking to connect with other mappers in your area? Interested in OpenStreetMap US events? Refer to the community section for more information.

Additional Resources

The OpenStreetMap Wiki provides a comprehensive resource for everything OpenStreetMap. For instance, learn how to map particular geographic features in the Map Features section.
Learn OpenStreetMap step-by-step with learnosm.org
Get help from experienced mappers and programmers on help.openstreetmap.org
Learn about using OpenStreetMap data and maps on switch2osm.org