> How did people manage this prior to 2007?

MapQuest? It sucked.

Google Maps does allow you to download areas to your device that can be used offline, too.

Paper maps before that. If you were in AAA you could get a "trip map" that was a complete route with turn by turn directions and a spiral bound, printed map that you paged through as you traveled, but paper maps worked well. Not as convenient as a phone but not terrible either.