Rare Old Map of Thibodaux, Louisiana by USGS, 1940: Bayou Lafourche & Chackbay
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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Titled “Lafourche” and published in 1940 by the United States Geological Survey, this finely detailed topographical map captures Thibodaux, Louisiana, and the...
Continue readingTitled “Lafourche” and published in 1940 by the United States Geological Survey, this finely detailed topographical map captures Thibodaux, Louisiana, and the surrounding bayou country at a revealing moment in the region’s twentieth-century development. Drawn at a 1:31,680 scale, it offers an intimate view of settlement, land use, waterways, roads, and terrain in a landscape where subtle elevation changes were of real practical importance. Bayou Lafourche forms the defining geographic presence, winding through a low-lying environment shaped by agriculture, drainage, transportation, and settlement along the water’s edge. The map’s original title is elegantly understated, yet it refers to a place of deep cultural and environmental significance in southern Louisiana.
The US Geological Survey brought its characteristic precision to this depiction of Lafourche Parish, translating a complex deltaic landscape into contour lines, symbols, color, and measured land divisions. Founded in the late nineteenth century, the USGS became one of America’s most important scientific mapping institutions, producing maps that supported engineering, resource management, settlement, conservation, and national planning. Here, its disciplined topographic language is applied to a terrain that appears gentle at first glance, but whose minor rises, waterways, and wooded tracts mattered greatly in daily life. In a region vulnerable to flooding and dependent on navigable bayous, canals, and roads, the survey’s exacting attention to elevation and drainage gives the map enduring historical value.
Thibodaux appears as the principal urban center, its streets and surrounding routes anchoring the broader countryside. The map also identifies nearby places such as Chackbay, Paris, and Franklin, set within a mosaic of roads, waterways, wooded areas, open land, and plotted divisions. These details reveal a landscape organized by both natural geography and human use: farms and settlements follow the bayou corridors, while road networks connect small communities across the parish. The presence of specific plot numbers and land divisions is especially evocative, suggesting patterns of ownership, cultivation, and rural administration. Together, these features make the map not merely a geographic record, but a portrait of a working Louisiana landscape.
The cartographic style is classic USGS: clear, functional, and quietly beautiful. Contour lines describe the slight but meaningful variations in elevation across the lowlands, while color coding distinguishes wooded areas in green from lighter open country. Water bodies and streams give structure to the composition, emphasizing the centrality of hydrology in the Lafourche region. In many mountainous topographic maps, contours dominate dramatically; here, their subtlety tells a different story, one of flat terrain, drainage challenges, bayou settlement, and the fine gradations of land that shaped agriculture and habitation. The result is a map that rewards close reading, revealing the quiet complexity of southern Louisiana’s physical geography.
As a historical document, this 1940 map preserves the geography and infrastructure of the Thibodaux area before later decades of suburban expansion, highway modernization, wetland loss, and environmental change transformed much of coastal Louisiana. It shows a world still closely tied to Bayou Lafourche and its surrounding agricultural lands, where local roads, small settlements, and waterways formed the essential framework of movement and commerce. For collectors, historians, and admirers of Louisiana, “Lafourche” offers a compelling visual record of place: a scientifically measured landscape infused with regional character. Its restrained design, practical purpose, and rich local detail make it a remarkable window into the bayou country of the early modern South.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Thibodaux, LA
- Bayou Lafourche
- Chackbay
- Paris
- Franklin
- Major highways and local roads
- Small rivers, streams and other waterways
- Woodland and agricultural regions
- Specific plot numbers and land divisions
Historical context & cartographic details
- Produced by the US Geological Survey, this historical topographical map shows Thibodaux, Louisiana, and the surrounding area.
- Date of the map: 1940
- Scale: 1:31,680
- Mapmaker/Publisher: US Geological Survey
- The USGS is known for its extensive geological and topographical surveying work, providing essential data for mapping and land-use planning.
- The map features a topographical layout with contour lines showing elevation changes.
- Color coding is used, with greens denoting wooded areas and lighter colors indicating open lands.
- The map illustrates terrain types and water bodies, showing the physical geography of the region.
- It reflects the geographical layout and infrastructure of 1940, offering insight into land development, settlement patterns 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 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 “Lafourche” and published in 1940 by the United States Geological Survey, this finely detailed topographical map captures Thibodaux, Louisiana, and the surrounding bayou country at a revealing moment in the region’s twentieth-century development. Drawn at a 1:31,680 scale, it offers an intimate view of settlement, land use, waterways, roads, and terrain in a landscape where subtle elevation changes were of real practical importance. Bayou Lafourche forms the defining geographic presence, winding through a low-lying environment shaped by agriculture, drainage, transportation, and settlement along the water’s edge. The map’s original title is elegantly understated, yet it refers to a place of deep cultural and environmental significance in southern Louisiana.
The US Geological Survey brought its characteristic precision to this depiction of Lafourche Parish, translating a complex deltaic landscape into contour lines, symbols, color, and measured land divisions. Founded in the late nineteenth century, the USGS became one of America’s most important scientific mapping institutions, producing maps that supported engineering, resource management, settlement, conservation, and national planning. Here, its disciplined topographic language is applied to a terrain that appears gentle at first glance, but whose minor rises, waterways, and wooded tracts mattered greatly in daily life. In a region vulnerable to flooding and dependent on navigable bayous, canals, and roads, the survey’s exacting attention to elevation and drainage gives the map enduring historical value.
Thibodaux appears as the principal urban center, its streets and surrounding routes anchoring the broader countryside. The map also identifies nearby places such as Chackbay, Paris, and Franklin, set within a mosaic of roads, waterways, wooded areas, open land, and plotted divisions. These details reveal a landscape organized by both natural geography and human use: farms and settlements follow the bayou corridors, while road networks connect small communities across the parish. The presence of specific plot numbers and land divisions is especially evocative, suggesting patterns of ownership, cultivation, and rural administration. Together, these features make the map not merely a geographic record, but a portrait of a working Louisiana landscape.
The cartographic style is classic USGS: clear, functional, and quietly beautiful. Contour lines describe the slight but meaningful variations in elevation across the lowlands, while color coding distinguishes wooded areas in green from lighter open country. Water bodies and streams give structure to the composition, emphasizing the centrality of hydrology in the Lafourche region. In many mountainous topographic maps, contours dominate dramatically; here, their subtlety tells a different story, one of flat terrain, drainage challenges, bayou settlement, and the fine gradations of land that shaped agriculture and habitation. The result is a map that rewards close reading, revealing the quiet complexity of southern Louisiana’s physical geography.
As a historical document, this 1940 map preserves the geography and infrastructure of the Thibodaux area before later decades of suburban expansion, highway modernization, wetland loss, and environmental change transformed much of coastal Louisiana. It shows a world still closely tied to Bayou Lafourche and its surrounding agricultural lands, where local roads, small settlements, and waterways formed the essential framework of movement and commerce. For collectors, historians, and admirers of Louisiana, “Lafourche” offers a compelling visual record of place: a scientifically measured landscape infused with regional character. Its restrained design, practical purpose, and rich local detail make it a remarkable window into the bayou country of the early modern South.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Thibodaux, LA
- Bayou Lafourche
- Chackbay
- Paris
- Franklin
- Major highways and local roads
- Small rivers, streams and other waterways
- Woodland and agricultural regions
- Specific plot numbers and land divisions
Historical context & cartographic details
- Produced by the US Geological Survey, this historical topographical map shows Thibodaux, Louisiana, and the surrounding area.
- Date of the map: 1940
- Scale: 1:31,680
- Mapmaker/Publisher: US Geological Survey
- The USGS is known for its extensive geological and topographical surveying work, providing essential data for mapping and land-use planning.
- The map features a topographical layout with contour lines showing elevation changes.
- Color coding is used, with greens denoting wooded areas and lighter colors indicating open lands.
- The map illustrates terrain types and water bodies, showing the physical geography of the region.
- It reflects the geographical layout and infrastructure of 1940, offering insight into land development, settlement patterns 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 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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