Google maps previously gave you the ability to change the display time in the regular view. With that feature, you could see satellite imagery from different points in time. It even showed the first images taken from the sky in France back in the 1800s. It’s always interesting to see how things have changed over time.
Now, Google shows you how time changed through Street View
If you’re interested in seeing how time changed in a certain area, you can do so using the Street View in Google Maps. If you’re unfamiliar with what Street View is, it’s pretty useful. It shows you images of certain areas from the street level. You can travel through the streets house-by-house and view things up close. Now, you can see these environments as they were at different points in time. It’s pretty easy to do so also. On your browser, visit the Google Maps website and find the area you want to view. Then, you should see a small toolbar on the bottom right of the screen. In the toolbar, you should see a small yellow person icon. Drag that icon to the location you want to view (most of the roads turn blue). This will put you in Street view. On the top left of the screen, you’ll see a panel with some information like the street name. At the bottom of that panel, you’ll see the date. Click on the date and you’ll see a slider pop up with different dates. That will show you that location at different times. When you slide to the time that you want to see, you’ll see it displayed. Click on the magnifying glass icon to expand that to the full view. And, there you have it. Just know that not all locations will be available, and the time won’t go past a certain point.
