{"product_id":"old-map-of-alexandria-bay-new-york-by-usgs-1948-thousand-islands-boldt-castle-st-lawrence-river","title":"Old Map of Alexandria Bay, New York by USGS, 1948 – Thousand Islands, Boldt Castle \u0026 St. Lawrence River","description":"\u003cp\u003ePublished in 1953 using survey data collected in 1948, the United States Geological Survey’s “Alexandria Bay Quadrangle” captures one of New York’s most storied river landscapes at a pivotal mid-century moment. Drawn at the detailed 1:62,500 scale, the map presents Alexandria Bay, Clayton, Orleans, Wellesley Island, Chippewa Bay, and the intricate island-studded passages of the Thousand Islands with the clarity and precision for which the USGS is renowned. The cartography distinguishes land and water with elegant restraint, while carefully spaced contour lines reveal the subtle rises, valleys, and shoreline relief that shape this borderland region. More than a navigational document, it is a scientific portrait of a celebrated resort gateway where geology, tourism, and the Saint Lawrence River converge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Alexandria Bay region shown here occupies a dramatic position along the Saint Lawrence River, where the river widens into a labyrinth of channels, bays, and wooded islands before flowing northeast toward the Atlantic. The map’s treatment of the Upper, or Broadway, Channel and adjacent waterways emphasizes the maritime character of the region, where boats, ferries, and pleasure craft have long defined movement and commerce. Lake Ontario lies to the southwest, anchoring the broader hydrographic setting, while the mapped roads and trails show the growing connections between waterfront communities and inland settlements. In the mid-20th century, this was a landscape increasingly shaped by automobile tourism, summer residences, and recreational boating, yet still closely tied to the older rhythms of river navigation and rural settlement.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlexandria Bay itself appears as the principal village and tourist center, its Main Street and surrounding road network marking the human focus of an otherwise watery geography. By the time this map was published, the village was already famous as a gateway to the Thousand Islands, a region promoted for its scenic grandeur, fishing, boating, and grand estates. Among the most evocative landmarks in the vicinity is Boldt Castle on Heart Island, an emblem of Gilded Age ambition and romantic legend. The map situates such landmarks within their broader geographic setting, allowing the viewer to read not only individual places but also the relationships between islands, channels, shorelines, and routes that made Alexandria Bay such a celebrated destination.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe United States Geological Survey brought to this quadrangle its characteristic blend of field measurement, standardized symbology, and disciplined graphic design. Founded in 1879, the USGS became the nation’s foremost authority for topographic mapping, producing quadrangles that served engineers, planners, scientists, travelers, and the military alike. Here, contour lines articulate the terrain with quiet authority, tracing the modest but meaningful elevation changes of northern New York’s river country. Water bodies are rendered distinctly, reinforcing the dominance of the Saint Lawrence system and the Thousand Islands archipelago. Roads, trails, settlements, shorelines, and possible institutional or military sites are integrated into a coherent visual hierarchy, making the map both technically informative and aesthetically compelling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHistorically, the “Alexandria Bay Quadrangle” reflects a region in transition. Its 1948 survey data records the landscape before later decades of expanded development, intensified tourism infrastructure, and changing patterns of land use along the riverfront. Parks and recreational areas hint at the growing public appetite for outdoor leisure, while the mapped communities preserve a picture of settlement just after the Second World War. The Thousand Islands had long been a place of Indigenous presence, international passage, elite retreat, and borderland exchange; this map fixes that layered history within a precise geographic framework. For collectors, it offers not simply a view of Alexandria Bay and its islands, but a mid-century record of one of America’s most distinctive freshwater landscapes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eCities, towns and places on this map\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAlexandria Bay\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThousand Islands\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eClayton\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOrleans\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWellesley Island\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBoldt Castle\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eChippewa Bay\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSt. Lawrence River\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUpper (Broadway) Channel\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLake Ontario\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMain Street, Alexandria Bay\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eVarious roads and trails\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMarine routes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eParks and recreational areas in the vicinity\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMilitary sites, if marked\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLandmarks and notable structures depicted on the map\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eHistorical context \u0026amp; cartographic details\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHistorical 1:62,500 topographical map titled \u003cstrong\u003eAlexandria Bay Quadrangle\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProduced by the \u003cstrong\u003eUnited States Geological Survey (USGS)\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSurvey data was collected in \u003cstrong\u003e1948\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePublished with a \u003cstrong\u003e1953 imprint\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShows Alexandria Bay and the surrounding Thousand Islands region in New York\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAlexandria Bay is known as a scenic tourist destination and gateway to the Thousand Islands\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFeatures prominent contour lines indicating elevation changes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWater bodies are clearly distinguished with color variations\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDepicts varied topography, including elevated areas, valleys, and waterways\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReflects mid-20th-century geographical knowledge of the region\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDocuments the area before later changes from urban development, infrastructure growth, and recreational tourism\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=\"\/it\/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=\"\/it\/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=\"\/it\/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=\"\/it\/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":58780930343296,"sku":null,"price":55.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":58780930376064,"sku":null,"price":146.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Framed canvas map","offer_id":58780930408832,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Map","offer_id":58780930441600,"sku":null,"price":55.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":58780930474368,"sku":null,"price":146.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Framed canvas 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