Note that he included the symbol on the enveloppe and the card, which could imply it actually is a clue. On the enveloppe it is where one would usually write the return address, and a Z under it. So taking it a face value, it is "The Zodiac’s return address".
So assuming the symbol represents a location, I decided to superimpose the symbol on a map of Vallejo, looking for a match to streets or roads. Could be anywhere else, just looked for a quick match without zooming in too much to focus on the main roads. I added the dots too, just to not omit them. If this was to be overlaid on a map, maybe those four dots would help find landmarks to get a match. Would have to consider those present at the time.
This is the easiest match I found yet.
@38.103525,-122.26108,12.5z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x8085119732ce0709:0x95933f02a8c61639!8m2!3d38.1040864!4d-122.2566367″> https://www.google.com/maps/place/Valle … 22.2566367
With the symbol as found on the card:
With the one as found on the enveloppe:
Both match one another well-enough in terms of stem lengths and dot placement, which could add weight to the idea that they are expected to be overlaid on a map, as otherwise depending on which you would use you would end up with mismatches, so he was seemingly careful on drawing both similarly to not break the "game".
If I just try and overlay the original on a zoomed out map, aligning it like I did in the image above, the only thing I can see with the circles is they are somewhat close to some landmarks.
One dot is at Vallejo High School (on the left).
One is at the high school’s baseball field.
One is at Highland Elementary School on the right.
One is at Amador Park.
Anyone has a map of Vallejo from no later than 1971? The one I found seems to have the north part missing, or the roads that match at the top of the F didn’t exist back then.
This has come up a few times. The issue with using this symbol as a map overlay, is that cities are usually planned out in a grid, so you get lots parallel and perpendicular lines, and this sybol is all 90 degree bends, so without knowing an exact scale it’s going to line up with roads and streets all over the place.
I’ve mussed about turning the symbol until the "Z" forms an "N" for north, but really without scale, or any other reference point, it’s virtual gobbledygook.
Good effort though.
This has come up a few times. The issue with using this symbol as a map overlay, is that cities are usually planned out in a grid, so you get lots parallel and perpendicular lines, and this sybol is all 90 degree bends, so without knowing an exact scale it’s going to line up with roads and streets all over the place.
I’ve mussed about turning the symbol until the "Z" forms an "N" for north, but really without scale, or any other reference point, it’s virtual gobbledygook.
Good effort though.
That’s why I’m assuming it would be placed on a high level map showing main roads distinctively, as it does on Google or on some other maps. Then you have the four landmarks to limit the potential matches, and those are usually by their nature expected to be few.
Interesting idea about the N, if it’s magnetic north it it works with what I did no? It works too if you were to take the symbol and the Z from the card, as the position of the Z relative to the symbol is meaningless.
On Reddit, someone said the middle of the Zig Zag lands almost directly on 32 Fresno Street, which is apparently ALA’s address during those days? I recognize the home from an interview with ALA. It would have been easy for ALA to bury some evidence at the nearby baseball field or in Amador Park. But it could be that the dots were just to help figure out where to align the symbol, just like the Z standing for Magnetic North.
@38.1106718,-122.2421852,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x8085731507b16b91:0xeae828f71abdde02!8m2!3d38.1106676!4d-122.2399965″> https://www.google.com/maps/place/32+Fr … 22.2399965
