Rare Old Map of Madison, Connecticut by USGS, 1951: Long Island Sound, Clinton Harbor & Hammonasset State Park
Restored in our London workshop from the original 1953 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
Restored from the original 1953 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.
You can also contact us before you order, if you prefer!
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Published in 1953 from survey data gathered in 1951, the “Clinton Quadrangle” presents a finely observed portrait of the Connecticut shoreline at...
Continue readingPublished in 1953 from survey data gathered in 1951, the “Clinton Quadrangle” presents a finely observed portrait of the Connecticut shoreline at mid-century. Produced by the United States Geological Survey, it centers on Madison and Clinton, where the ordered geometry of roads and settlements meets the tidal margins of Long Island Sound. At a 1:31,680 scale, the map offers an intimate yet comprehensive view of the region, balancing coastal detail with inland topography. Its bright, legible color scheme distinguishes water, woodland, built areas, and relief with the clarity for which USGS cartography is admired, making it both a scientific document and a striking visual record of a changing New England landscape.
The USGS tradition behind this map is one of exacting field observation and practical public service. Established to document the nation’s geology, water resources, and terrain, the agency became the authoritative voice in American topographic mapping. Here, contour lines articulate the subtle rises and hollows behind the shore, revealing a landscape more varied than the calm coastal setting might suggest. Around Madison, low hills, valleys, streams, and wetlands are rendered with disciplined precision, allowing the viewer to understand how settlement followed both the coastline and the natural corridors of the land. The map’s aesthetic appeal lies in this union of utility and elegance: every line is purposeful, yet the whole composition has quiet graphic beauty.
Madison, Connecticut, appears as the principal coastal community, with roads, neighborhoods, and natural features arranged around its access to Long Island Sound. The shoreline is one of the map’s most engaging elements, tracing the meeting of land and water at beaches, inlets, and harbor approaches. Nearby Clinton Harbor, Cummings Beach, and the coastal stretches around Hammonasset State Park evoke a region shaped by fishing, recreation, seasonal residence, and conservation. Hammonasset, already one of Connecticut’s treasured seaside landscapes, anchors the map with broad natural presence. The cartography captures this area before later decades of intensified development, preserving the relationship between town, beach, marsh, and sound as it stood in the early 1950s.
Inland from the shore, the “Clinton Quadrangle” becomes a study in movement and terrain. Routes 1 and 81, along with smaller local roads, form a visible framework connecting Madison, Clinton, and surrounding rural districts. Streams such as Mill Creek and the Menunketesuck River thread through the landscape, their courses subtly explaining the valleys and drainage patterns emphasized by the contour lines. Elevation points and closely spaced contours draw attention to the region’s modest but expressive relief, a terrain of wooded rises, small farms, village edges, and watercourses. These details give the map particular historical richness, showing not merely where people lived and traveled, but how the physical land guided those patterns.
As a historical document, this map offers a compelling snapshot of coastal Connecticut at a moment between older rural patterns and the suburban expansion that would accelerate in the second half of the twentieth century. Its depiction of Madison and Clinton preserves road networks, recreational areas, waterways, and land uses before many later alterations to the built and natural environment. For collectors, historians, and admirers of New England geography, the “Clinton Quadrangle” is valuable not only for what it shows, but for the exact moment it records. It invites comparison with the present day, revealing continuities along the Sound while quietly documenting the transformations of shoreline communities, transportation routes, and preserved open spaces.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Madison, Connecticut
- Clinton, Connecticut
- Long Island Sound
- Clinton Harbor
- Cummings Beach
- Hammonasset State Park
- Several smaller recreational areas
- Routes 1 and 81
- Mill Creek
- Menunketesuck River
- Notable landforms and elevation points indicated by contour lines
Historical context & cartographic details
- Historical topographical map of Madison, Connecticut and the surrounding area
- Produced by the United States Geological Survey
- Survey data gathered in 1951 and published with a 1953 imprint
- Drawn at a 1:31,680 scale for detailed topographic representation
- Contour lines show elevation changes, hills, valleys, and varied terrain
- Bright colors distinguish different land uses and physical features
- Shows a mix of developed land, residential areas, natural landscapes, and coastal terrain
- Captures the area in the early 1950s, useful for studying urban development and environmental change over time
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 18x24in (45x60cm) 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 1953 from survey data gathered in 1951, the “Clinton Quadrangle” presents a finely observed portrait of the Connecticut shoreline at mid-century. Produced by the United States Geological Survey, it centers on Madison and Clinton, where the ordered geometry of roads and settlements meets the tidal margins of Long Island Sound. At a 1:31,680 scale, the map offers an intimate yet comprehensive view of the region, balancing coastal detail with inland topography. Its bright, legible color scheme distinguishes water, woodland, built areas, and relief with the clarity for which USGS cartography is admired, making it both a scientific document and a striking visual record of a changing New England landscape.
The USGS tradition behind this map is one of exacting field observation and practical public service. Established to document the nation’s geology, water resources, and terrain, the agency became the authoritative voice in American topographic mapping. Here, contour lines articulate the subtle rises and hollows behind the shore, revealing a landscape more varied than the calm coastal setting might suggest. Around Madison, low hills, valleys, streams, and wetlands are rendered with disciplined precision, allowing the viewer to understand how settlement followed both the coastline and the natural corridors of the land. The map’s aesthetic appeal lies in this union of utility and elegance: every line is purposeful, yet the whole composition has quiet graphic beauty.
Madison, Connecticut, appears as the principal coastal community, with roads, neighborhoods, and natural features arranged around its access to Long Island Sound. The shoreline is one of the map’s most engaging elements, tracing the meeting of land and water at beaches, inlets, and harbor approaches. Nearby Clinton Harbor, Cummings Beach, and the coastal stretches around Hammonasset State Park evoke a region shaped by fishing, recreation, seasonal residence, and conservation. Hammonasset, already one of Connecticut’s treasured seaside landscapes, anchors the map with broad natural presence. The cartography captures this area before later decades of intensified development, preserving the relationship between town, beach, marsh, and sound as it stood in the early 1950s.
Inland from the shore, the “Clinton Quadrangle” becomes a study in movement and terrain. Routes 1 and 81, along with smaller local roads, form a visible framework connecting Madison, Clinton, and surrounding rural districts. Streams such as Mill Creek and the Menunketesuck River thread through the landscape, their courses subtly explaining the valleys and drainage patterns emphasized by the contour lines. Elevation points and closely spaced contours draw attention to the region’s modest but expressive relief, a terrain of wooded rises, small farms, village edges, and watercourses. These details give the map particular historical richness, showing not merely where people lived and traveled, but how the physical land guided those patterns.
As a historical document, this map offers a compelling snapshot of coastal Connecticut at a moment between older rural patterns and the suburban expansion that would accelerate in the second half of the twentieth century. Its depiction of Madison and Clinton preserves road networks, recreational areas, waterways, and land uses before many later alterations to the built and natural environment. For collectors, historians, and admirers of New England geography, the “Clinton Quadrangle” is valuable not only for what it shows, but for the exact moment it records. It invites comparison with the present day, revealing continuities along the Sound while quietly documenting the transformations of shoreline communities, transportation routes, and preserved open spaces.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Madison, Connecticut
- Clinton, Connecticut
- Long Island Sound
- Clinton Harbor
- Cummings Beach
- Hammonasset State Park
- Several smaller recreational areas
- Routes 1 and 81
- Mill Creek
- Menunketesuck River
- Notable landforms and elevation points indicated by contour lines
Historical context & cartographic details
- Historical topographical map of Madison, Connecticut and the surrounding area
- Produced by the United States Geological Survey
- Survey data gathered in 1951 and published with a 1953 imprint
- Drawn at a 1:31,680 scale for detailed topographic representation
- Contour lines show elevation changes, hills, valleys, and varied terrain
- Bright colors distinguish different land uses and physical features
- Shows a mix of developed land, residential areas, natural landscapes, and coastal terrain
- Captures the area in the early 1950s, useful for studying urban development and environmental change over time
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 18x24in (45x60cm) 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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