{"product_id":"old-map-of-bellevue-washington-by-usgs-1950-seattle-mercer-island-lake-washington","title":"Old Map of Bellevue, Washington by USGS, 1950 – Seattle, Mercer Island \u0026 Lake Washington","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe U.S. Geological Survey’s “Mercer Island” presents a finely observed 1:24,000 topographical portrait of the Lake Washington corridor, dated 1950 and issued with a 1968 imprint. Centered on Mercer Island and the fast-changing Eastside, the map captures Bellevue, portions of Seattle, Lake Washington, and the surrounding residential and park landscapes at a pivotal moment in the region’s postwar growth. Its original title has a quiet elegance: direct, geographic, and precise, in the tradition of USGS quadrangle mapping. Bright blues define the lake’s intricate shorelines and smaller water bodies, while green parklands and clearly drawn contour lines reveal the undulating terrain that shaped settlement, transportation, and recreation around one of the Pacific Northwest’s most desirable urban waterways.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProduced by the U.S. Geological Survey, the map reflects the institution’s hallmark combination of scientific rigor and understated cartographic beauty. USGS topographic maps were created for practical use—engineering, land planning, navigation, recreation, and research—but they also preserve a remarkably detailed visual record of American landscapes. Here, contour intervals trace hills, ravines, and lowlands with methodical clarity, giving the viewer a tactile sense of the land beneath the city. Roads and highways appear in vivid red, standing out against the softer greens and blues of parks, forests, and water. The result is a map that balances technical precision with a distinctly mid-century graphic character.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMercer Island itself sits as the map’s natural centerpiece, elongated between the broad western and eastern arms of Lake Washington. Its shoreline is carefully articulated, with named points such as Coleman Point and South Point anchoring the island’s geography. Across the water, Seattle appears to the west, while Bellevue occupies the eastern shore, still visibly shaped by residential neighborhoods, local roads, and open spaces rather than the dense skyline now associated with the city. Parks, smaller lakes, and waterways punctuate the terrain, giving the map a layered quality: part urban document, part environmental study, part record of the intimate relationship between settlement and water.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHistorically, this map is especially evocative because it records Bellevue and Mercer Island before the full force of late twentieth-century metropolitan expansion transformed the Eastside. The Lake Washington crossings had already begun to reorganize regional movement, linking Seattle with Mercer Island and Bellevue and accelerating suburban growth. Yet the landscape shown here still retains the spacing, green breaks, and shoreline settlement patterns of an earlier era. The red road network reveals the emerging framework of modern mobility, while the contours and parklands recall the natural topography that continued to guide development. For collectors, it offers a compelling snapshot of a region on the threshold of dramatic change.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe visual appeal of the “Mercer Island” quadrangle lies in its fusion of disciplined survey work and richly legible design. Elevation changes ripple across the sheet in fine contour lines, making the hills and depressions around Lake Washington immediately intelligible. Blues give the lake and smaller water bodies a cool brilliance, while greens emphasize parks and vegetated areas, softening the urban grid. Bellevue, Seattle, Mercer Island, roads, residential districts, points, parks, and waterways all coexist in a composition that is both functional and quietly beautiful. As a historical topographic map, it preserves not only place names and infrastructure, but the lived geography of a mid-century Pacific Northwest landscape.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eCities, towns and places on this map\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBellevue\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSeattle\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMercer Island\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLake Washington\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSouth Puget Sound\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGreat Park\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKampala\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eColeman Point\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSouth Point\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eVarious Parks\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRoads and Highways indicated with red lines\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eContour lines indicating elevation changes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMultiple smaller water bodies and lakes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eResidential areas and neighborhoods\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eHistorical context \u0026amp; cartographic details\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProduced by the U.S. Geological Survey\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHistorical 1:24,000 topographical map\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDated 1950 with a 1968 imprint\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShows Bellevue, Washington and the surrounding area\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUses bright greens and blues to distinguish landforms and water bodies\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eClearly marked contour lines emphasize hills, depressions, and terrain variation\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReflects mid-20th-century land use patterns, natural features, and urban development\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eValuable as a snapshot of an area later changed by growth and environmental transformation\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=\"\/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=\"\/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=\"\/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=\"\/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":58832139026816,"sku":null,"price":54.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":58832139059584,"sku":null,"price":145.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Framed canvas map","offer_id":58832139092352,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Map","offer_id":58832139125120,"sku":null,"price":54.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":58832139157888,"sku":null,"price":145.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Framed canvas 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