Published in 1968 from 1967 mapping, the US Geological Survey’s “Sulphur North” presents a precise late-1960s portrait of south-central Oklahoma at the classic 1:24,000 topographical scale. Centered on Sulphur and its surrounding country, the map records a landscape where town streets, rural roads, creeks, ponds, wooded draws, and rising ground are all rendered with the disciplined clarity for which USGS quadrangles are admired. Its contour lines reveal the subtleties of the Arbuckle region: gentle valleys tightening into hillier terrain, drainage channels threading toward larger watercourses, and elevations changing in a way that gives the sheet both scientific value and visual rhythm. As a historical document, it captures Sulphur at a moment when recreation, conservation, and local infrastructure were reshaping the area.

The mapmaker, the United States Geological Survey, brought nearly a century of institutional expertise to this quadrangle. Founded in 1879, the USGS became the nation’s great cartographic authority, translating field surveys, aerial photography, geologic knowledge, and standardized symbology into maps used by engineers, scientists, planners, hikers, and local residents alike. “Sulphur North” reflects that mature cartographic language: brown contours for relief, blue hydrography for streams and lakes, green tints for wooded areas, and an orderly network of roads, boundaries, and cultural features. Its design is practical but elegant, with every line serving a purpose. In the best USGS tradition, the sheet is not merely a guide to location, but a layered record of terrain, settlement, access, and environmental character.

Sulphur, Oklahoma, gives the map its human anchor, a town long associated with mineral springs, parkland, and the rugged beauty of the Arbuckle Mountains. The surrounding area has been shaped by water in many forms: springs and creeks, small ponds, Rock Creek, and the reservoirs that altered both local hydrology and recreation. The nearby Lake of the Arbuckles, created in the 1960s, is especially important to the period represented here, signaling a modern era of flood control, water supply, and outdoor leisure. The map’s road network shows how Sulphur connected to neighboring communities and scenic destinations, while the distribution of fields, wooded tracts, and drainage corridors hints at the rural land uses and natural patterns that defined the region.

One of the map’s most compelling contexts is its relationship to the protected landscapes now associated with Chickasaw National Recreation Area. In the 1960s, the area included historic parklands and newly developed recreation zones that would later be unified under that name, making this quadrangle a valuable snapshot of the region before later administrative and recreational changes. The Sulphur area had already attracted visitors for generations, first through the reputation of its mineral waters and later through its trails, streams, picnic grounds, and lakeside activities. Nearby landmarks such as Turner Falls and the Arbuckle uplands belong to the same broader scenic world: a distinctive Oklahoma landscape of limestone, clear water, wooded ravines, and sudden relief rising from the plains.

As a topographical composition, “Sulphur North” rewards close reading. The spacing of the contours makes the terrain intelligible at a glance, distinguishing open, gradual slopes from tighter hill forms and incised valleys. Water bodies and streams create a blue framework across the sheet, while vegetation shading helps identify wooded pockets and riparian corridors. Roads and local routes trace the practical geography of daily life in 1967, linking town, countryside, parkland, and recreation areas. The result is both a technical map and a historical scene: a carefully measured account of Sulphur and its environs during a decade of regional transition. For collectors, it offers the quiet authority of USGS mapping joined to the particular charm of Oklahoma’s spring-fed Arbuckle country.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Sulphur, Oklahoma
• Lake of the Arbuckles
• Turner Falls
• Chickasaw National Recreation Area
• Rock Creek
• Various local roads and highways
• Numerous lakes and ponds
• Nearby communities and neighboring areas

Historical context & cartographic details

• Historical 1:24,000 topographical map of Sulphur, Oklahoma and the surrounding area.
• Produced by the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
• Dated 1967 and published with a 1968 imprint.
• Shows the region as it appeared in the late 1960s, including land use patterns, natural features, and infrastructure.
• Uses contour lines to represent elevation changes.
• Includes distinct shading for vegetation and water bodies.
• Features a clear legend and scale for usability.
• Depicts a varied landscape of valleys, hills, and water bodies.
• Reflects the USGS tradition of detailed topographical mapping for research, planning, and outdoor recreation.

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.