Rare Old Map of Vashon Island, Washington by USGS, 1949: Puget Sound & Maury Island
Restored in our London workshop from the original 1969 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 1969 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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Titled “Vashon,” this United States Geological Survey topographical map presents Vashon Island and its neighboring Puget Sound waters with the clarity and...
Continue readingTitled “Vashon,” this United States Geological Survey topographical map presents Vashon Island and its neighboring Puget Sound waters with the clarity and authority for which the USGS is renowned. The map is dated 1949 and carries a 1969 imprint, placing it at an intriguing midpoint between postwar rural Washington and the region’s later suburban and environmental transformations. At 1:24,000 scale, it offers a close, richly legible portrait of island terrain, settlement, shoreline, and infrastructure. Vashon, Burton, Dockton, and Maury Island appear within a landscape defined as much by water as by land, with Quartermaster Harbor, Tramp Harbor, and the surrounding arms of Puget Sound shaping the island’s geography and character.
The cartography is classic mid-century USGS: disciplined, precise, and quietly elegant. Fine contour lines trace the island’s undulating interior, revealing the hills, shallow valleys, and bluff-edged shorelines that give Vashon its distinctive topographic rhythm. Greens mark wooded and vegetated areas, suggesting the rural and semi-wild character that has long distinguished the island from the expanding urban centers nearby. Roads, creeks, parks, shore points, and settlements are rendered with a restrained visual hierarchy, making the map both functional and evocative. Its topographical language rewards close reading, from the rising ground above Judd Creek to the tapering promontories of Point Robinson, Point Hay, and Louisa Point.
Vashon Island occupies a singular position in Puget Sound, lying between Seattle, Tacoma, and the Kitsap Peninsula yet historically retaining an identity apart from them. This map captures that insular quality beautifully. The island’s communities—Vashon, Burton, Rosedale, and Dockton—appear modestly embedded in a landscape of woods, farms, coves, and tidal edges. Quartermaster Harbor, sheltered between Vashon and Maury Island, forms one of the map’s most graceful natural features, a protected marine basin historically associated with boatbuilding, fishing, recreation, and local commerce. Nearby Dockton Park and the former waterfront village of Dockton hint at the island’s maritime past, when small communities were tied closely to steamship routes and working harbors.
Maury Island and the eastern shorelines add another layer of geographical interest. Point Robinson, with its prominent position on the island’s eastern edge, marks a key navigational point overlooking the shipping lanes of Puget Sound. Tramp Harbor, Point Monroe, Fern Cove, and the surrounding inlets and beaches illustrate the complex meeting of glacial landforms and tidal waters that characterizes this part of Washington. Across the water, places such as Olalla situate the map within the broader Sound, emphasizing the ferry-linked, water-oriented nature of regional life. The inclusion of features such as an equestrian club, parks, and small road networks suggests a landscape balanced between habitation, recreation, and enduring rural open space.
As a historical document, the map invites comparison with the Vashon of today. Since the 1969 imprint, the island has seen shifts in land use, transportation patterns, conservation priorities, and residential development, while still preserving much of its celebrated rural character. Areas once shown as sparsely developed or heavily wooded may now reflect changing patterns of stewardship, private ownership, and environmental protection. Yet the fundamental geography remains compellingly constant: the wooded ridges, protected harbors, sinuous shorelines, and quiet settlements surrounded by Puget Sound. This USGS map offers not merely a survey of place, but a finely drawn portrait of an island community poised between natural beauty, maritime history, and the pressures of a growing metropolitan region.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Vashon Island
- Point Robinson
- Burton
- Vashon
- Maury Island
- Point Hay
- Quartermaster Harbor
- Puget Sound
- Equestrian Club
- Olalla
- Point Monroe
- Dockton
- Rosedale
- Judd Creek
- Fern Cove
- Dockton Park
- Tramp Harbor
- Louisa Point
Historical context & cartographic details
- Produced by the US Geological Survey as a historical 1:24,000 topographical map of Vashon Island, Washington, and the surrounding area.
- Dated 1949 with a 1969 imprint.
- Published by the US Geological Survey, known for authoritative geographic, geological, and topographic mapping in the United States.
- Shows Vashon Island, Puget Sound, and surrounding waterways.
- Uses traditional topographical mapping with contour lines to indicate elevation changes.
- Includes shades of green to denote vegetation and land use.
- Provides detailed elevation contours showing the hills and valleys typical of Vashon Island’s landscape.
- Since the 1969 imprint, changes in land use, urbanization, and environmental conservation may have altered the island’s landscape and development patterns.
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 “Vashon,” this United States Geological Survey topographical map presents Vashon Island and its neighboring Puget Sound waters with the clarity and authority for which the USGS is renowned. The map is dated 1949 and carries a 1969 imprint, placing it at an intriguing midpoint between postwar rural Washington and the region’s later suburban and environmental transformations. At 1:24,000 scale, it offers a close, richly legible portrait of island terrain, settlement, shoreline, and infrastructure. Vashon, Burton, Dockton, and Maury Island appear within a landscape defined as much by water as by land, with Quartermaster Harbor, Tramp Harbor, and the surrounding arms of Puget Sound shaping the island’s geography and character.
The cartography is classic mid-century USGS: disciplined, precise, and quietly elegant. Fine contour lines trace the island’s undulating interior, revealing the hills, shallow valleys, and bluff-edged shorelines that give Vashon its distinctive topographic rhythm. Greens mark wooded and vegetated areas, suggesting the rural and semi-wild character that has long distinguished the island from the expanding urban centers nearby. Roads, creeks, parks, shore points, and settlements are rendered with a restrained visual hierarchy, making the map both functional and evocative. Its topographical language rewards close reading, from the rising ground above Judd Creek to the tapering promontories of Point Robinson, Point Hay, and Louisa Point.
Vashon Island occupies a singular position in Puget Sound, lying between Seattle, Tacoma, and the Kitsap Peninsula yet historically retaining an identity apart from them. This map captures that insular quality beautifully. The island’s communities—Vashon, Burton, Rosedale, and Dockton—appear modestly embedded in a landscape of woods, farms, coves, and tidal edges. Quartermaster Harbor, sheltered between Vashon and Maury Island, forms one of the map’s most graceful natural features, a protected marine basin historically associated with boatbuilding, fishing, recreation, and local commerce. Nearby Dockton Park and the former waterfront village of Dockton hint at the island’s maritime past, when small communities were tied closely to steamship routes and working harbors.
Maury Island and the eastern shorelines add another layer of geographical interest. Point Robinson, with its prominent position on the island’s eastern edge, marks a key navigational point overlooking the shipping lanes of Puget Sound. Tramp Harbor, Point Monroe, Fern Cove, and the surrounding inlets and beaches illustrate the complex meeting of glacial landforms and tidal waters that characterizes this part of Washington. Across the water, places such as Olalla situate the map within the broader Sound, emphasizing the ferry-linked, water-oriented nature of regional life. The inclusion of features such as an equestrian club, parks, and small road networks suggests a landscape balanced between habitation, recreation, and enduring rural open space.
As a historical document, the map invites comparison with the Vashon of today. Since the 1969 imprint, the island has seen shifts in land use, transportation patterns, conservation priorities, and residential development, while still preserving much of its celebrated rural character. Areas once shown as sparsely developed or heavily wooded may now reflect changing patterns of stewardship, private ownership, and environmental protection. Yet the fundamental geography remains compellingly constant: the wooded ridges, protected harbors, sinuous shorelines, and quiet settlements surrounded by Puget Sound. This USGS map offers not merely a survey of place, but a finely drawn portrait of an island community poised between natural beauty, maritime history, and the pressures of a growing metropolitan region.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Vashon Island
- Point Robinson
- Burton
- Vashon
- Maury Island
- Point Hay
- Quartermaster Harbor
- Puget Sound
- Equestrian Club
- Olalla
- Point Monroe
- Dockton
- Rosedale
- Judd Creek
- Fern Cove
- Dockton Park
- Tramp Harbor
- Louisa Point
Historical context & cartographic details
- Produced by the US Geological Survey as a historical 1:24,000 topographical map of Vashon Island, Washington, and the surrounding area.
- Dated 1949 with a 1969 imprint.
- Published by the US Geological Survey, known for authoritative geographic, geological, and topographic mapping in the United States.
- Shows Vashon Island, Puget Sound, and surrounding waterways.
- Uses traditional topographical mapping with contour lines to indicate elevation changes.
- Includes shades of green to denote vegetation and land use.
- Provides detailed elevation contours showing the hills and valleys typical of Vashon Island’s landscape.
- Since the 1969 imprint, changes in land use, urbanization, and environmental conservation may have altered the island’s landscape and development patterns.
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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