{"product_id":"old-map-of-bourne-massachusetts-by-usgs-1941-cape-cod-canal-buzzards-bay","title":"Old Map of Bourne, Massachusetts by USGS, 1941 – Cape Cod Canal \u0026 Buzzards Bay","description":"\u003cp\u003ePublished in 1941, the US Geological Survey’s “Pocasset” presents Bourne, Massachusetts, and the surrounding Cape Cod approaches at the detailed scale of 1:31,680. It captures the region at a charged historical moment, on the eve of America’s entry into World War II, when coastal geography, transport routes, and military installations carried heightened strategic importance. The map’s title evokes the village of Pocasset, but its scope extends across a wider landscape of bays, waterways, roads, railways, wooded tracts, and settled neighborhoods. Rendered in the disciplined USGS style, it combines practical precision with understated beauty: green land tones, blue water bodies, and a navigational grid give the sheet both clarity and period character.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBourne occupies a privileged position on this map, poised between mainland Massachusetts and Cape Cod, with the Cape Cod Canal serving as its defining engineered landmark. Opened in the early twentieth century and later improved as a major maritime shortcut, the canal transformed the geography of coastal navigation by allowing vessels to avoid the hazardous outer Cape route. On the map, its linear presence cuts with striking purpose through the landscape, linking Buzzards Bay with the waters beyond and organizing the surrounding roads, rail connections, and settlements. The nearby shoreline, inlets, and low-lying coastal terrain speak to the long relationship between this region and the sea, from local fishing and ferry traffic to national defense and commercial shipping.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe US Geological Survey, established in 1879, brought a scientific rigor to American cartography that is immediately evident here. Its maps were not merely pictorial records, but instruments of measurement, planning, and public knowledge, grounded in field surveys and standardized symbology. In “Pocasset,” elevation is described through fine contour work and related topographic markings, revealing the modest but important variations in the Cape’s glacially shaped terrain. Roads, railways, trails, ponds, streams, forests, and residential clusters are set into a coherent visual system, allowing the viewer to read both natural landform and human occupation. The result is a map that feels at once administrative, geographic, and quietly poetic.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe inclusion of Camp Hingham gives the map particular wartime resonance. In the early 1940s, Massachusetts’ coastal and inland military sites formed part of a broader network of training, logistics, and defense infrastructure, and their appearance on contemporary maps offers a revealing glimpse into how the region was organized before the immense changes of the postwar decades. Military grounds, roads, and open spaces appear alongside villages, rail lines, waterways, and wooded areas, suggesting a landscape in transition. Compared with today’s more developed Cape Cod corridor, the map preserves a view of Bourne and its environs when strategic readiness, rural settlement, and coastal ecology still existed in close proximity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a historical document, “Pocasset” is especially compelling because it records the Cape Cod landscape before modern expansion reshaped many of its roads, neighborhoods, and recreational spaces. Buzzards Bay, the canal corridor, scattered lakes, unnamed rivers, forests, and residential enclaves appear as parts of a balanced regional portrait, one in which infrastructure and nature remain visibly intertwined. The cartographic palette is restrained yet evocative, its blue waters and green land areas lending immediate legibility while preserving the elegance of mid-century government mapping. For collectors drawn to coastal New England, military history, or the evolution of American topographic surveying, this map offers a richly layered view of Bourne at a pivotal moment in time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCities, towns and places on this map\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBourne\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCamp Hingham\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCape Cod Canal\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBuzzards Bay\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLakes (various unnamed)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRivers (various unnamed)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eForested areas\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRoads (including railways)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eResidential areas\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNeighbourhoods (various unnamed)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTrails\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePoints of interest around Bourne\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistorical context \u0026amp; cartographic details\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eName of the map: \u003cem\u003ePocasset\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProduced by the US Geological Survey, this historical 1:31,680 topographical map shows Bourne, Massachusetts and the surrounding area.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDate of creation: 1941\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMapmaker\/Publisher: US Geological Survey (USGS), an agency known for mapping and geological data collection.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe map uses a clear period color scheme, with green hues for land and blue for water bodies.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA grid overlay is included for navigation and reference.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe map highlights the varied terrain of Bourne and its surroundings, using hachures and lines to show elevation changes and natural features.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe map reflects the period just before World War II, offering insight into the structure of military training areas during the early 1940s.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLooking for a particular place?\u003c\/strong\u003e Review the detailed images to confirm that the town, landmark or feature you have in mind appears on the map. If you are unsure, \u003ca target=\"”_blank”\" href=\"\/fr\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003eask our workshop to check before you order\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDetailed 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 50in (125cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please \u003ca href=\"\/fr\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003eget in touch\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe model in the listing images is holding the 16x20in (40x50cm) version of this map.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhere personalisation is available, you can add a short title or dedication, mark one meaningful place, or request one considered visual detail. \u003ca target=\"”_blank”\" href=\"\/fr\/pages\/map-personalisation\"\u003eSee personalised map examples\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEvery 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWith 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 \u003ca target=\"”_blank”\" href=\"\/fr\/collections\/all-old-vintage-antique-maps\"\u003erare old and vintage maps\u003c\/a\u003e to discover another place, period or style.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Unique Maps Co.","offers":[{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Map","offer_id":59906593489280,"sku":null,"price":54.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":59906593522048,"sku":null,"price":144.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Framed canvas map","offer_id":59906593554816,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Map","offer_id":59906593587584,"sku":null,"price":54.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":59906593620352,"sku":null,"price":144.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Framed canvas 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