Rare Old Map of Astoria, Oregon by USGS, 1919: Columbia River, Youngs Bay & Fort Stevens
Restored in our London workshop from the original 1928 map and printed to museum-grade archival standards. Full description
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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
Restored from the original 1928 map and printed to museum-grade archival standards. Full description
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Gift message & custom finish
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.
Every order is custom made, so if you need the size adjusted slightly, or printed on an unusual material, just let us know. We've done thousands of custom orders over the years, so there's (almost) nothing we can't manage.
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Titled simply “Astoria,” this US Geological Survey map presents the storied northwestern corner of Oregon as it was surveyed in 1919 and...
Continue readingTitled simply “Astoria,” this US Geological Survey map presents the storied northwestern corner of Oregon as it was surveyed in 1919 and later issued with a 1928 imprint. At a scale of 1:62,500, it captures Astoria, Youngs Bay, the Columbia River, and the Pacific margin with the quiet authority characteristic of early twentieth-century federal cartography. The map belongs to a period when accurate topographical knowledge was essential for navigation, settlement, industry, and coastal defense. Its contours, water features, and coastal outlines together form a finely observed portrait of a landscape shaped by river, ocean, forested hills, and human ambition at one of America’s most historically consequential estuaries.
The US Geological Survey brought to this map a disciplined visual language developed for clarity, precision, and practical use. Elevation is expressed through contour lines, giving the terrain around Astoria a sculptural quality: ridges rise from lowlands, valleys gather streams, and the coastal headlands take shape through measured intervals. Color is used functionally yet elegantly, distinguishing waterways, landforms, and relief so that the viewer can read the region almost three-dimensionally. This is not merely a map of names and boundaries, but a systematic interpretation of the land itself. It reflects the USGS mission to document the nation’s physical geography for engineers, mariners, educators, planners, and citizens seeking to understand the terrain beneath their feet.
Astoria occupies the map’s historical and geographical heart, positioned near the mouth of the Columbia River where fresh water meets the Pacific Ocean. Youngs Bay, the Lewis and Clark River, Tongue Point, and the surrounding Clatsop County lowlands reveal a complex estuarine environment of channels, shorelines, and tidal margins. To the west, Fort Stevens and Hammond mark the strategic importance of the river entrance, while the coastline turns south toward Tillamook Head and the rugged edge of the Oregon coast. The inclusion of the Nehalem River and nearby uplands broadens the view beyond the harbor, showing a region where maritime access, river corridors, and forested terrain shaped patterns of movement and settlement.
The historical resonance of this map is considerable. Astoria is famed as one of the earliest American settlements west of the Rocky Mountains, established in the fur-trade era and long associated with the opening of the Pacific Northwest to American commerce and exploration. The Columbia River mouth was both gateway and hazard: a route inland, a center of trade, and a formidable navigational challenge. Fort Stevens, shown near the river’s entrance, underscores the military value placed on defending this passage. The nearby Lewis and Clark River evokes the expedition that wintered in the region in 1805–1806, placing this landscape within the broader story of exploration, Indigenous homelands, imperial competition, and westward expansion.
As a document of the early twentieth century, “Astoria” offers a compelling snapshot of a landscape on the edge of transformation. Its careful depiction of shorelines, waterways, elevations, and settlements allows modern viewers to trace changes in urban growth, transportation routes, land use, and coastal erosion over time. The map’s measured topography reveals why Astoria developed where it did: sheltered by bays and river channels yet constrained by steep terrain and the dynamic forces of the Columbia and Pacific. For collectors, historians, and admirers of coastal geography, it is a richly informative portrait of Oregon’s maritime northwest—an elegant intersection of scientific mapping, frontier memory, and the enduring drama of river meeting ocean.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Astoria
- Youngs Bay
- Columbia River
- Pacific Ocean
- Tongue Point
- Fort Stevens
- Hammond
- Nehalem River
- Lewis and Clark River
- Clatsop County
- Tillamook Head
Historical context & cartographic details
- Produced by the US Geological Survey as a historical 1:62,500 topographical map.
- Created in 1919 and published with a 1928 imprint.
- Made by the US Geological Survey, an agency known for detailed and accurate topographical mapping.
- Uses color coding to show different elevations and landforms.
- Includes contour lines to indicate terrain and elevation changes.
- Highlights rivers, waterways, coastal lines, and land features in distinct colors.
- Provides a detailed early 20th-century snapshot of the region’s geography.
- Useful for comparing historical and modern changes in urban development, land use, and coastal erosion patterns.
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.
Titled simply “Astoria,” this US Geological Survey map presents the storied northwestern corner of Oregon as it was surveyed in 1919 and later issued with a 1928 imprint. At a scale of 1:62,500, it captures Astoria, Youngs Bay, the Columbia River, and the Pacific margin with the quiet authority characteristic of early twentieth-century federal cartography. The map belongs to a period when accurate topographical knowledge was essential for navigation, settlement, industry, and coastal defense. Its contours, water features, and coastal outlines together form a finely observed portrait of a landscape shaped by river, ocean, forested hills, and human ambition at one of America’s most historically consequential estuaries.
The US Geological Survey brought to this map a disciplined visual language developed for clarity, precision, and practical use. Elevation is expressed through contour lines, giving the terrain around Astoria a sculptural quality: ridges rise from lowlands, valleys gather streams, and the coastal headlands take shape through measured intervals. Color is used functionally yet elegantly, distinguishing waterways, landforms, and relief so that the viewer can read the region almost three-dimensionally. This is not merely a map of names and boundaries, but a systematic interpretation of the land itself. It reflects the USGS mission to document the nation’s physical geography for engineers, mariners, educators, planners, and citizens seeking to understand the terrain beneath their feet.
Astoria occupies the map’s historical and geographical heart, positioned near the mouth of the Columbia River where fresh water meets the Pacific Ocean. Youngs Bay, the Lewis and Clark River, Tongue Point, and the surrounding Clatsop County lowlands reveal a complex estuarine environment of channels, shorelines, and tidal margins. To the west, Fort Stevens and Hammond mark the strategic importance of the river entrance, while the coastline turns south toward Tillamook Head and the rugged edge of the Oregon coast. The inclusion of the Nehalem River and nearby uplands broadens the view beyond the harbor, showing a region where maritime access, river corridors, and forested terrain shaped patterns of movement and settlement.
The historical resonance of this map is considerable. Astoria is famed as one of the earliest American settlements west of the Rocky Mountains, established in the fur-trade era and long associated with the opening of the Pacific Northwest to American commerce and exploration. The Columbia River mouth was both gateway and hazard: a route inland, a center of trade, and a formidable navigational challenge. Fort Stevens, shown near the river’s entrance, underscores the military value placed on defending this passage. The nearby Lewis and Clark River evokes the expedition that wintered in the region in 1805–1806, placing this landscape within the broader story of exploration, Indigenous homelands, imperial competition, and westward expansion.
As a document of the early twentieth century, “Astoria” offers a compelling snapshot of a landscape on the edge of transformation. Its careful depiction of shorelines, waterways, elevations, and settlements allows modern viewers to trace changes in urban growth, transportation routes, land use, and coastal erosion over time. The map’s measured topography reveals why Astoria developed where it did: sheltered by bays and river channels yet constrained by steep terrain and the dynamic forces of the Columbia and Pacific. For collectors, historians, and admirers of coastal geography, it is a richly informative portrait of Oregon’s maritime northwest—an elegant intersection of scientific mapping, frontier memory, and the enduring drama of river meeting ocean.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Astoria
- Youngs Bay
- Columbia River
- Pacific Ocean
- Tongue Point
- Fort Stevens
- Hammond
- Nehalem River
- Lewis and Clark River
- Clatsop County
- Tillamook Head
Historical context & cartographic details
- Produced by the US Geological Survey as a historical 1:62,500 topographical map.
- Created in 1919 and published with a 1928 imprint.
- Made by the US Geological Survey, an agency known for detailed and accurate topographical mapping.
- Uses color coding to show different elevations and landforms.
- Includes contour lines to indicate terrain and elevation changes.
- Highlights rivers, waterways, coastal lines, and land features in distinct colors.
- Provides a detailed early 20th-century snapshot of the region’s geography.
- Useful for comparing historical and modern changes in urban development, land use, and coastal erosion patterns.
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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