Published in 1977 from survey data gathered in 1957, the US Geological Survey’s “Tucson Quadrangle” preserves a finely grained portrait of Tucson, Arizona, at a pivotal moment in its modern growth. At 1:24,000 scale, the map offers the authoritative clarity for which the USGS became renowned, combining scientific precision with a quietly elegant visual language. The city appears in relation to the Santa Cruz River, surrounding neighborhoods, military and aviation infrastructure, railroads, highways, schools, churches, parks, and building footprints. Its distinctive pink tones emphasize developed areas and land-use patterns, while contour lines articulate the basin-and-range terrain that gives Tucson its dramatic desert setting. The result is both a practical topographic document and a historical record of a city poised between postwar expansion and metropolitan transformation.

The US Geological Survey, established in 1879, emerged as one of the great mapping institutions of the modern world, charged with documenting the nation’s geology, water systems, natural resources, and hazards. Its quadrangle maps became indispensable tools for engineers, planners, scientists, hikers, and government agencies, translating complex landscapes into standardized, legible sheets of remarkable accuracy. In the “Tucson Quadrangle,” that institutional expertise is visible in every contour, symbol, and annotation. The map’s measured presentation reflects the USGS ideal: an objective, data-rich depiction of land and settlement. Yet beyond its technical authority, it has aesthetic power—the subtle interplay of color, linework, and typography creates a disciplined visual field in which the urban fabric of Tucson can be read almost street by street.

Tucson itself dominates the sheet, shown with a density of roads, neighborhoods, public buildings, and civic landmarks that reveals the expanding structure of the mid-twentieth-century city. South Tucson, Mission Manor, La Cholla, and other residential districts appear within a network of local streets, schools, churches, and recreation spaces, documenting everyday urban life with unusual intimacy. Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and Tucson International Airport speak to the city’s strategic aviation importance, while rail lines and major roads, including Interstate 10 and state highways, trace the infrastructure that connected Tucson to the wider Southwest. The map captures a moment when the city was spreading outward across the desert floor, before later decades of growth would further reshape its outskirts and transportation corridors.

The topographic character of the map is especially compelling. Tucson lies in a broad desert basin framed by rugged mountains beyond the quadrangle, and the USGS contouring records the subtle rises, washes, and drainage patterns that define the local landscape. The Santa Cruz River, one of the region’s most historically important waterways, threads through the mapped area as both a natural feature and a marker of settlement history. Roads, railroads, and neighborhoods are set against this physical geography, reminding the viewer that Tucson’s urban form has always been shaped by aridity, terrain, and access to water. Woods, open spaces, parks, and recreation areas add further texture, revealing not merely a city plan but an inhabited desert environment in transition.

As a historical document, the “Tucson Quadrangle” offers a striking window onto southern Arizona in the late 1950s, while its 1977 publication underscores the enduring value of mid-century survey data for mapping and planning. It records Tucson before many later waves of suburban development, freeway expansion, and infrastructural change altered the metropolitan landscape. The map’s careful notation of building footprints, institutional sites, transport routes, and land-use patterns makes it particularly evocative for those interested in urban history, Southwestern geography, or the evolution of Arizona’s desert cities. Its beauty lies in precision: a disciplined cartographic image that transforms streets, contours, rivers, airfields, and neighborhoods into a richly layered portrait of place.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Tucson
• Davis Monthan Air Force Base
• Tucson International Airport
• La Cholla
• South Tucson
• Mission Manor
• Parque De La Ciudad
• Santa Cruz River
• Interstate 10 and various state highways
• Railroads
• Parks and recreation areas
• Schools
• Churches
• Building footprints
• Residential neighborhoods

Historical context & cartographic details

• Map name: Tucson Quadrangle
• Produced by the US Geological Survey as a historical 1:24,000 topographical map of Tucson, Arizona and the surrounding area.
• Based on survey data from 1957 and published in 1977.
• The US Geological Survey is a scientific agency of the U.S. government, established in 1879, focused on natural resources, natural hazards, and mapping.
• Uses pink hues to differentiate land uses and highlight built structures.
• Features contour lines to show elevation changes and terrain.
• Shows elevation, landforms, woods, and urban development in detail.
• Reflects the urban landscape and geographical features of Tucson in the late 1950s, before significant changes in urban development and infrastructure.
• The use of color and contour lines communicates both elevation changes and urban density.

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.