Published in 1972 from work created in 1970, the US Geological Survey’s “Bethel” presents a precise and evocative portrait of western Maine at a scale of 1:24,000. Centered on the town of Bethel, the map captures a landscape where settlement, travel routes, rivers, and uplands meet in a characteristically New England pattern. Route 2 and Andover Road anchor the human geography, while South Bethel, Bethel Airport, and scattered local roads reveal the area’s mid-twentieth-century development. Its clear lettering and disciplined USGS layout make the map immediately legible, yet the wealth of topographic detail rewards close inspection, offering a snapshot of the region before later recreational and residential growth reshaped parts of the valley.

The cartography is classic USGS: measured, elegant, and deeply informative. Fine contour lines describe every rise, hollow, and slope, giving the terrain around Bethel a sculptural quality. Brown contouring and green woodland shading work together to distinguish elevation, forest cover, and landform, allowing the viewer to read the country almost as if standing within it. Bear Mountain and the surrounding uplands emerge not merely as named features, but as physical presences, their contours tightening across the page to show steepness and relief. This style of topographical mapping was designed for accuracy and utility, yet it also possesses a restrained beauty, transforming scientific survey into a visual language of place.

Water is one of the defining elements of this map, and the Ellis River and Sunday River provide graceful natural structure to the composition. Their courses trace the valleys that helped determine settlement patterns, travel corridors, and access routes through the region. Bethel’s position near these waterways reflects a long relationship between town life and the surrounding environment, with rivers serving as landmarks, resources, and guides through rugged terrain. The map’s depiction of streams, roads, and contour lines makes clear how closely human activity followed the logic of the land. In this sense, the sheet is more than a geographic record; it is a study of adaptation to Maine’s mountainous interior.

The presence of White Mountain National Forest situates Bethel within a broader landscape of protected mountain country and outdoor recreation. Trails and access routes shown around the area hint at the region’s appeal to hikers, hunters, skiers, and travelers drawn to the Maine-New Hampshire uplands. Although the map predates many contemporary recreational developments, it already reveals the essential ingredients that made the area attractive: wooded slopes, river valleys, mountain approaches, and a network of roads connecting rural communities. Andover, South Bethel, and the roads leading between them appear as part of a wider regional fabric, linking small-town Maine to the expansive forested highlands beyond.

As a 1970 USGS topographical record, “Bethel” preserves a moment in the evolution of western Maine’s landscape. It reflects the geographical knowledge, survey standards, infrastructure, and settlement patterns of its era, making it especially compelling when compared with present-day development. Bethel Airport, Route 2, local roads, and named natural features together document a town poised between rural continuity and increasing accessibility. The map’s authority lies in its specificity: every contour, stream, road, and label contributes to a richly layered understanding of place. For collectors of historic cartography, it offers both technical excellence and regional character, capturing Bethel and its surroundings with the quiet confidence of the US Geological Survey at its best.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Bethel, Maine
• Andover, Maine
• South Bethel
• Andover Road
• Route 2
• Ellis River
• Sunday River
• White Mountain National Forest
• Bear Mountain
• Bethel Airport
• Trails and access routes within the surrounding area

Historical context & cartographic details

• Produced by the US Geological Survey (USGS).
• Created in 1970 and published in 1972.
• Historical topographical map at a scale of 1:24,000, showing Bethel, Maine and the surrounding area.
• Features detailed contour lines indicating elevation changes.
• Clear, structured text labeling enhances readability.
• Green and brown shading highlight different landforms and elevation features.
• Reflects the geographical understanding and urban development patterns of the period, offering a contrast with modern development in the area.

Looking for a particular place? Review the detailed images to confirm that the town, landmark or feature you have in mind appears on the map. If you are unsure, ask our workshop to check before you order.

Detailed maps are especially rewarding at larger sizes, where names, boundaries and decorative features have more room to be appreciated. Use the close-up preview and size guide to choose the right scale for your wall.

This map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 50in (125cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please get in touch.

The model in the listing images is holding the 16x20in (40x50cm) version of this map.

Where personalisation is available, you can add a short title or dedication, mark one meaningful place, or request one considered visual detail. See personalised map examples.

Every piece is printed to museum-grade archival standards using fade-resistant pigment inks on acid-free matte paper. Choose an unframed map print, framed map or canvas using the finish options above. Framed maps use crystal-clear optical acrylic and arrive ready to hang.

With its rich detail and strong sense of place, this map makes a considered gift for a new home, anniversary, retirement or anyone with a personal connection to the area shown. Still deciding? Explore our collection of rare old and vintage maps to discover another place, period or style.

This map is also available as a float framed canvas, sometimes known as a shadow gap framed canvas or canvas floater. The map is printed on artist's cotton canvas and then stretched over a handmade box frame. We then "float" the canvas inside a wooden frame, which is available in a range of colours (black, dark brown, oak, antique gold and white). This is a wonderful way to present a map without glazing in front. See some examples of float framed canvas maps and explore the differences between my different finishes.

For something truly unique, this map is also available in "Unique 3D", our trademarked process that dramatically transforms the map so that it has a wonderful sense of depth. We combine the original map with detailed topography and elevation data, so that mountains and the terrain really "pop". For more info and examples of 3D maps, check my Unique 3D page.