Published in 1949 from 1939 survey work, the US Geological Survey’s “Ely” captures a celebrated corner of northeastern Minnesota at a defining moment in its modern history. Drawn at the detailed 1:62,500 scale, the map presents Ely and its surrounding lake country with the clarity and authority characteristic of mid-century federal topographic mapping. This was a landscape shaped by water, rock, forest, and industry, yet increasingly valued for wilderness recreation and conservation. The map’s crisp contours, blue hydrology, road networks, railroad lines, and carefully labeled settlements offer a richly layered view of a northern town poised between its mining heritage and its emerging identity as a gateway to canoe routes, camps, and protected forests.

The US Geological Survey, founded in 1879, brought scientific rigor and national ambition to the mapping of the American landscape. Its topographic sheets were not merely navigational aids; they were instruments of geology, land management, infrastructure planning, and environmental knowledge. In this Ely sheet, that institutional precision is evident in every contour and shoreline. Elevation changes are rendered through fine contour lines, allowing the viewer to read the glacially carved terrain with remarkable immediacy. Lakes, rivers, wetlands, roads, trails, and railways are organized into a coherent visual system, reflecting the USGS mission to make the country’s natural resources and hazards legible. The result is both technically exacting and quietly beautiful.

Ely itself sits amid one of Minnesota’s most evocative landscapes, where boreal forest and water interlace across the southern edge of the great northern wilderness. The map shows Shagawa Lake near the town, with Burntside Lake to the west and Fall Lake to the east, each part of a broader network of waterways that would become synonymous with canoe travel and outdoor adventure. Bear Island Lake, Whiteside Lake, Fowl Lake, and Lake Minnto further emphasize the region’s lacustrine character. These waters are not decorative features but the organizing principle of the map: they shape travel corridors, settlement patterns, campsites, recreation areas, and the deep sense of remoteness for which Ely is famous.

The cartographic style is quintessentially mid-20th-century USGS: practical, colorful, and elegantly restrained. Water bodies appear with strong visual clarity, while forested areas, transportation lines, and contours are distinguished through a balanced palette designed for immediate comprehension in the field. US Highway 169 and local roads connect Ely to surrounding settlements and recreation areas, while railroad lines recall the region’s industrial and extractive past. The inclusion of Fall Lake Campground and various trails hints at the growing importance of tourism, camping, fishing, and canoeing in the local economy. At the same time, the density of lakes and woods conveys a place still dominated by natural systems rather than urban expansion.

Historically, this map belongs to a period when northeastern Minnesota was being reimagined. Long associated with iron mining, timber, and frontier settlement, Ely was also becoming an emblem of wilderness access and environmental stewardship. The nearby Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness would later become one of the most cherished protected landscapes in the United States, and this map preserves the geography just before conservation debates and recreation pressures reshaped public understanding of the region. Its depiction of roads, railroads, lakes, and forests offers a snapshot of land use at mid-century, when mobility and preservation stood side by side. For collectors, “Ely” is a compelling record of Minnesota’s lake country at the threshold of its modern wilderness identity.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Ely, Minnesota
• Bear Island Lake
• Shagawa Lake
• Burntside Lake
• Lake Minnto
• Whiteside Lake
• Fowl Lake
• Fall Lake
• Fall Lake Campground
• Various roads and trails
• US Highway 169
• Railroad lines
• Numerous forested areas
• Contours representing elevation changes throughout the area

Historical context & cartographic details

• Produced by the US Geological Survey, this historical 1:62,500 topographical map shows Ely, Minnesota and the surrounding area.
• Dated 1939 with a 1949 imprint.
• Published by the US Geological Survey, a U.S. government scientific agency with a major role in mapping, surveying, and documenting natural resources and hazards.
• Ely is known as a gateway to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, a major destination for outdoor recreation.
• The map uses a vibrant mid-20th-century USGS color scheme to show topographic features clearly.
• Bodies of water, elevation changes, and wooded terrain are carefully delineated.
• The topography reflects the northeastern Minnesota landscape, with numerous lakes, rivers, and varied terrain.
• The map offers insight into Ely’s geography during a period when the region was becoming increasingly associated with outdoor recreation and environmental conservation.
• Its design includes distinct topographic elements and a clear layout of hydrological features, typical of USGS cartography from the period.

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.