Rare Old Map of Annapolis, Maryland by USGS, 1944: Chesapeake Bay, Naval Academy & South River
Restored in our London workshop from the original map and printed to museum-grade archival standards. Full description
The Collector’s Offer
Choose two eligible works and receive 20% off both. Choose three and the lowest-priced one is complimentary, a maximum saving of 33%.
Mix and match eligible standard maps and fine-art prints. No code is required; the offer is applied automatically at checkout.
Standard made-to-order configurations are included. Bespoke sizes, personalised designs and commissioned work are excluded.
Need delivery to different addresses? Contact us before ordering.The Collector’s Offer
Choose two eligible works and receive 20% off both. Choose three and the lowest-priced one is complimentary, a maximum saving of 33%.
Mix and match eligible standard maps and fine-art prints. No code is required; the offer is applied automatically at checkout.
Standard made-to-order configurations are included. Bespoke sizes, personalised designs and commissioned work are excluded.
Need delivery to different addresses? Contact us before ordering.
Restored in London • Printed and framed in the USA
My maps are rare, museum-grade, restored old maps sourced from libraries, auction houses and private collections across the globe. Full description
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If you want to add a gift message, or a finish (jigsaw, aluminium board, etc.) that is not available here, please request it in the "order note" when you check out.
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Published in 1944 by the United States Geological Survey, “Annapolis” presents Maryland’s capital and its Chesapeake Bay surroundings at a detailed 1:31,680...
Continue readingPublished in 1944 by the United States Geological Survey, “Annapolis” presents Maryland’s capital and its Chesapeake Bay surroundings at a detailed 1:31,680 scale. It captures the city at a particularly resonant moment in American history, with the United States Naval Academy occupying a prominent place in the landscape during the final years of the Second World War. The map’s measured topographical language—contours, roads, shorelines, place names, and shaded wooded areas—reveals Annapolis not only as a seat of government and maritime culture, but as a strategic Chesapeake community shaped by water, defense, and regional movement. Its clean land-and-water contrast gives immediate clarity to the complicated meeting of peninsulas, creeks, rivers, and settlements.
The US Geological Survey brought to this map the disciplined precision for which its topographical sheets are celebrated. Founded to study the nation’s landscapes, resources, and natural hazards, the USGS developed a cartographic style that balanced scientific rigor with practical legibility. Here, the methodical grid and carefully differentiated colors guide the eye across a varied terrain of urban blocks, rural roads, woods, tidal inlets, and open water. The result is a map that is both utilitarian and elegant: an official survey document with the quiet beauty of exact observation. Every contour and shoreline speaks to the agency’s larger mission of rendering the American landscape intelligible, measurable, and navigable.
Annapolis itself anchors the map, its historic core set between the Severn River and Chesapeake Bay, with Eastport and Bay Ridge emphasizing the city’s intimate relationship with the water. The Naval Academy area is especially evocative, linking the map to the long maritime and military identity of the city. Across the surrounding region, communities such as Arnold, Edgewater, Broadneck, and Severna Park appear within a landscape still strongly defined by woods, farms, creeks, and riverfront roads. The map allows the viewer to read mid-century Annapolis before later suburban growth fully transformed the edges of the city, making it a valuable snapshot of urban development in progress.
The surrounding waterways are among the map’s most compelling features. Chesapeake Bay forms the great eastern presence, while the South River, Magothy River, and West River carve deeply into the land, creating the peninsulas and sheltered shores that have long shaped settlement in Anne Arundel County. These tidal rivers were not merely scenic features; they were routes of commerce, recreation, fishing, and regional identity. The map’s careful treatment of shorelines, coves, and river bends conveys the ecological complexity of the Chesapeake watershed. Wooded areas shown in green shading suggest a landscape where forest, marsh, and water still held significant influence over patterns of habitation and movement.
As a mid-20th-century document, this 1944 Annapolis map invites comparison with the modern region, revealing changes in urbanization, transportation, and environmental pressure around the Chesapeake. District No. 1, District No. 2, and District No. 3 situate the city within a broader civic geography, while the roads connecting Annapolis to Edgewater, Arnold, Severna Park, and other communities trace the framework of a growing metropolitan corridor. Yet the map preserves a moment when natural features still dominate the composition: rivers, bay waters, wooded tracts, and gently varied terrain. It is a sophisticated cartographic portrait of Maryland’s capital, poised between colonial heritage, wartime importance, and the suburban expansion that would follow.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Annapolis
- Chesapeake Bay
- South River
- Broadneck
- Edgewater
- Arnold
- Bay Ridge
- Eastport
- Severna Park
- Magothy River
- West River
- District No. 1
- District No. 2
- District No. 3
- Naval Academy
- Various wooded areas and parks depicted in green shading
Historical context & cartographic details
- Produced by the US Geological Survey, this historical 1:31,680 topographical map shows Annapolis, Maryland, and the surrounding area.
- The map is dated 1944.
- Published by the US Geological Survey (USGS), a scientific agency of the U.S. government responsible for studying landscapes, natural resources, and natural hazards.
- Uses a methodical grid layout typical of topographical maps.
- Distinct color differentiation between land and water areas helps clarify the terrain.
- Features a blend of urban areas, waterways, and wooded regions, suggesting varied elevation and land use.
- Provides insight into the geographical layout of Annapolis during the mid-20th century.
- Useful for comparison with present-day development, especially changes in urbanization and ecology.
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.
Published in 1944 by the United States Geological Survey, “Annapolis” presents Maryland’s capital and its Chesapeake Bay surroundings at a detailed 1:31,680 scale. It captures the city at a particularly resonant moment in American history, with the United States Naval Academy occupying a prominent place in the landscape during the final years of the Second World War. The map’s measured topographical language—contours, roads, shorelines, place names, and shaded wooded areas—reveals Annapolis not only as a seat of government and maritime culture, but as a strategic Chesapeake community shaped by water, defense, and regional movement. Its clean land-and-water contrast gives immediate clarity to the complicated meeting of peninsulas, creeks, rivers, and settlements.
The US Geological Survey brought to this map the disciplined precision for which its topographical sheets are celebrated. Founded to study the nation’s landscapes, resources, and natural hazards, the USGS developed a cartographic style that balanced scientific rigor with practical legibility. Here, the methodical grid and carefully differentiated colors guide the eye across a varied terrain of urban blocks, rural roads, woods, tidal inlets, and open water. The result is a map that is both utilitarian and elegant: an official survey document with the quiet beauty of exact observation. Every contour and shoreline speaks to the agency’s larger mission of rendering the American landscape intelligible, measurable, and navigable.
Annapolis itself anchors the map, its historic core set between the Severn River and Chesapeake Bay, with Eastport and Bay Ridge emphasizing the city’s intimate relationship with the water. The Naval Academy area is especially evocative, linking the map to the long maritime and military identity of the city. Across the surrounding region, communities such as Arnold, Edgewater, Broadneck, and Severna Park appear within a landscape still strongly defined by woods, farms, creeks, and riverfront roads. The map allows the viewer to read mid-century Annapolis before later suburban growth fully transformed the edges of the city, making it a valuable snapshot of urban development in progress.
The surrounding waterways are among the map’s most compelling features. Chesapeake Bay forms the great eastern presence, while the South River, Magothy River, and West River carve deeply into the land, creating the peninsulas and sheltered shores that have long shaped settlement in Anne Arundel County. These tidal rivers were not merely scenic features; they were routes of commerce, recreation, fishing, and regional identity. The map’s careful treatment of shorelines, coves, and river bends conveys the ecological complexity of the Chesapeake watershed. Wooded areas shown in green shading suggest a landscape where forest, marsh, and water still held significant influence over patterns of habitation and movement.
As a mid-20th-century document, this 1944 Annapolis map invites comparison with the modern region, revealing changes in urbanization, transportation, and environmental pressure around the Chesapeake. District No. 1, District No. 2, and District No. 3 situate the city within a broader civic geography, while the roads connecting Annapolis to Edgewater, Arnold, Severna Park, and other communities trace the framework of a growing metropolitan corridor. Yet the map preserves a moment when natural features still dominate the composition: rivers, bay waters, wooded tracts, and gently varied terrain. It is a sophisticated cartographic portrait of Maryland’s capital, poised between colonial heritage, wartime importance, and the suburban expansion that would follow.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Annapolis
- Chesapeake Bay
- South River
- Broadneck
- Edgewater
- Arnold
- Bay Ridge
- Eastport
- Severna Park
- Magothy River
- West River
- District No. 1
- District No. 2
- District No. 3
- Naval Academy
- Various wooded areas and parks depicted in green shading
Historical context & cartographic details
- Produced by the US Geological Survey, this historical 1:31,680 topographical map shows Annapolis, Maryland, and the surrounding area.
- The map is dated 1944.
- Published by the US Geological Survey (USGS), a scientific agency of the U.S. government responsible for studying landscapes, natural resources, and natural hazards.
- Uses a methodical grid layout typical of topographical maps.
- Distinct color differentiation between land and water areas helps clarify the terrain.
- Features a blend of urban areas, waterways, and wooded regions, suggesting varied elevation and land use.
- Provides insight into the geographical layout of Annapolis during the mid-20th century.
- Useful for comparison with present-day development, especially changes in urbanization and ecology.
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.
Many of our maps and art prints are chosen as thoughtful gifts for homes, offices, studies and meaningful places.
Choose a framed option for the easiest ready-to-hang gift, or choose an unframed print if the recipient may prefer to select their own frame.
We make orders locally in 23 countries around the world, so gifts can often be produced close to the recipient. This helps them arrive faster, travel more safely, and avoid customs or import duty surprises.
- We can deliver directly to the recipient
- Framed pieces arrive ready to hang
- Unframed prints are carefully packed in a strong protective tube
- Almost every order is made locally, for faster, safer gifting
- 90-day returns give the recipient time to decide
If you are not sure what to choose, please contact us. We can help you pick the right map, size, finish or delivery option.
Most orders are made locally and delivered in around 2–3 working days, depending on the product, size and destination.
We print and frame maps and artwork in 23 countries around the world, so your order is usually made close to you or your recipient. That means faster delivery, less time in transit, and no customs or import duty surprises.
Personalised and customised pieces usually take an extra 1–2 working days, because we prepare your design and send it to you for approval before printing.
Very large framed orders can take a little longer, as they need extra care in production and delivery.
Every order is carefully packaged: unframed prints are sent in a strong protective tube, while framed pieces are securely packed with protective materials around the frame.
If you need your order by a particular date, please contact us before ordering. We’ll check the best production route and delivery option for your location.
Express delivery is available at checkout for most countries. Next-day delivery is available in the UK, US, Singapore and the UAE.
Your order is covered by our 90-day returns policy and 10-year guarantee.
Our standard frame is a gallery-style black ash hardwood frame, with a simple, modern look. It is approximately 20mm (0.8in) wide. You can also view some lovely customer photos of framed maps and art.
We use super-clear acrylic glazing, also known as Perspex or Acrylite, instead of traditional glass. It is lighter, safer, and has lower reflectivity, giving the artwork a clearer, cleaner appearance.
Six standard frame colours are available at no extra cost: black, dark brown, dark grey, oak, white, and antique gold. Custom framing and mounting/matting is also available for customers looking for something more specific.
Most maps, art prints, and illustrations are also available as a framed canvas. We use matte cotton canvas, stretch it over a sustainably sourced wooden box frame, and then float the piece within a wooden outer frame. The finished result is beautifully presented, with no glazing between you and the artwork.
All frames are supplied ready to hang, with either string or brackets fitted to the back. Very large frames will include heavy-duty hanging plates and/or a mounting baton. If you have any questions, please get in touch.
We can also supply old maps and artwork on canvas, foam board, cotton rag, and other materials.
If you would prefer to frame your map or artwork yourself, please read our size guide before ordering.
Every Unique Maps piece begins with an authentic cartographic source or an original design from our London studio.
For our historic maps, we source rare originals from libraries, archives, auction houses and private collections around the world. We carefully restore each map for print—repairing age-related damage, balancing colour and improving clarity while preserving its original detail, texture and character.
Once restored, the map is prepared for your chosen size and finish. Your piece is then printed and, where selected, framed close to its delivery destination.
Our map prints use acid-free 200gsm archival matte paper and fade-resistant pigment inks, creating a rich, non-glossy finish designed to last. Framed maps use crystal-clear optical acrylic and arrive ready to hang.
Canvas, cotton-rag and other specialist presentations are also available. Learn more about our materials and finishes.
Personalising your map
You can add a short title or dedication, mark one meaningful place, or request one considered visual detail. For personalised designs, we send a proof before printing and you can request changes before approval.
For more complex bespoke commissions, contact our design team.
Original or Aged
Choose Original for true-to-source colour, or Aged for a warmer, richer antique character created with our specialist ageing process. See examples of our Aged maps.
We’ve been restoring and producing maps and art prints since 1984, and we stand behind every piece.
Every order is covered by our 10-year guarantee and damage-free delivery guarantee. If your piece arrives damaged, we’ll replace or remake it free of charge. If anything else isn’t right, contact our workshop team and we’ll put it right promptly.
See our returns and refund policy for full details.
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