Titled “Urbana,” this U.S. Geological Survey map presents Champaign and Urbana, Illinois, at the precise 1:24,000 scale characteristic of the agency’s modern topographic series. Dated 1998 and published with a 2001 imprint, it captures the twin university cities at the close of the twentieth century, when residential growth, institutional expansion, and transportation corridors were reshaping the prairie landscape of east-central Illinois. The map’s title is elegantly direct, naming Urbana while encompassing the broader Champaign-Urbana urban fabric, including the University of Illinois and surrounding neighborhoods. As a historical document, it offers a measured snapshot of an academic and civic landscape in transition, rendered through the restrained, data-rich visual language of federal cartography.

The U.S. Geological Survey, established in 1879, became one of the world’s most respected scientific mapping agencies by combining field observation, standardized symbology, and rigorous geographic measurement. Its topographic maps are prized not for ornament but for clarity: every contour, road, railroad, boundary, and water feature contributes to a coherent portrait of place. In “Urbana,” the USGS style is especially compelling because it brings order to a complex urban setting, balancing dense street grids with open land, parks, campus grounds, and outlying rural areas. The result is a map that feels both technical and quietly beautiful, translating the everyday geography of Champaign-Urbana into a precise visual record.

At the heart of the map lies the University of Illinois, the institution that has long defined the cultural, economic, and architectural identity of Champaign and Urbana. The campus sits between the two cities as a shared landmark, surrounded by residential districts, civic streets, recreational spaces, and the infrastructure of a major college town. The map records not only the university’s physical presence but also its relationship to the surrounding communities: neighborhoods radiate outward, roads knit together city and campus, and parks provide intervals of green within the built environment. For anyone connected to the university, this map offers a finely detailed portrait of a familiar landscape at a specific historical moment.

Though Champaign-Urbana is often associated with the broad, level plains of Illinois, the map’s contour lines reveal the subtler character of the terrain. Gentle variations in elevation, shallow drainage patterns, and low rises are articulated through the fine topographic detail that distinguishes USGS mapping. Roads and highways trace human movement across this modest relief, while railroads recall the transportation networks that supported the region’s growth. Water bodies and drainage features, whether ponds, streams, or engineered channels, add another layer to the landscape, showing how settlement and infrastructure respond to natural conditions. The map’s land-use indications make it possible to read the balance between urban development, open space, and surrounding agricultural terrain.

As a late-1990s record of Champaign and Urbana, this map is valuable for understanding how the area looked before the further suburban expansion and institutional growth of the early twenty-first century. It preserves patterns of population density, street development, parkland, transportation routes, and campus surroundings at a moment just before widespread digital mapping transformed how people viewed their communities. Compared with contemporary maps, “Urbana” becomes a study in change: new subdivisions, altered roadways, expanded facilities, and shifting land uses can be measured against the landscape shown here. Its appeal lies in that dual nature—scientific in purpose, yet rich with memory, civic identity, and the quiet history of place.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Urbana
• Champaign
• University of Illinois
• Various residential areas
• Parks and recreational areas
• Water bodies, including lakes or rivers
• Roads and highways
• Railroads
• Contours and elevations
• Land use designations

Historical context & cartographic details

• Produced by the U.S. Geological Survey as a historical 1:24,000 topographical map.
• Shows Champaign and Urbana, Illinois, and the surrounding area.
• Dated 1998 with a 2001 imprint.
• Published by the U.S. Geological Survey, a scientific agency of the U.S. government responsible for studying the landscape and natural resources of the country.
• Features detailed topographic lines illustrating terrain elevation and relief, characteristic of USGS mapping style.
• Highlights elevations through contour lines, showing hills, valleys, and the area’s geographic character.
• Reflects land use and development patterns from the late 1990s.
• Useful for comparing changes in population density, development, and land use with contemporary maps.

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.