Published in 1960 from 1959 survey work, the USGS topographical map titled “Broken Bow” captures a richly varied corner of southeastern Oklahoma at a moment when rural landscapes, timberlands, rivers, roads, and small communities were being recorded with postwar scientific precision. Centered on Broken Bow, the map presents the town not merely as a name on the page, but as the organizing point for a wider terrain of valleys, wooded uplands, waterways, and developing routes. Its 1:62,500 scale offers both regional breadth and local detail, making it especially evocative as a portrait of land use before later decades of recreational growth. The colored relief shading gives the map an immediate visual drama, allowing hills, river corridors, and settled areas to emerge in a clear and elegant topographic language.

The United States Geological Survey, established in 1879, brought to this map the authority of one of America’s great scientific institutions. Created to systematically study the nation’s geology, water, minerals, and terrain, the USGS became synonymous with accurate topographic mapping, particularly as federal and state planning increasingly depended on reliable geographic information. By the mid-twentieth century, its quadrangles were essential tools for engineers, foresters, road builders, conservationists, and outdoor travelers. In “Broken Bow,” that institutional rigor is visible in the disciplined contour lines, measured road networks, and careful placement of hydrological features. The result is more than a utilitarian survey: it is a refined geographical record, translating the physical character of southeastern Oklahoma into a precise and enduring cartographic form.

Broken Bow itself lies within a landscape strongly shaped by water, forest, and relief. The Mountain Fork River and Kiamichi River are among the defining natural features shown, threading through valleys and marking corridors of ecological and human importance. These waterways have long influenced settlement, movement, timber activity, and recreation in the region. Around them, the map’s contours and shaded elevations reveal a terrain of ridges, slopes, and lowlands rather than a flat agricultural plain. White spaces indicate residential and cleared areas, while the surrounding mapped texture suggests the persistence of forested country. For those familiar with modern Broken Bow’s association with cabins, fishing, camping, and lake access, the map offers a compelling earlier view of the geographic foundations that helped make the area a recreational destination.

The proximity of the Ouachita National Forest gives the map particular environmental and historical resonance. This part of Oklahoma belongs to the larger Ouachita region, known for its wooded hills, folded terrain, and outdoor landscapes that differ markedly from the plains more commonly associated with the state. The map’s relief shading and contour work make these distinctions legible, showing how roads negotiate valleys and elevations, and how settlement clusters where the land allows easier passage. Lakes and river systems add further interest, suggesting both natural drainage patterns and the recreational possibilities that later became central to the identity of the Broken Bow area. As a topographical composition, the sheet balances scientific accuracy with an almost sculptural sense of place.

As a document of the late 1950s, “Broken Bow” is also a valuable historical benchmark. It records the arrangement of roads, residential pockets, open spaces, river crossings, forested areas, and rural development before many subsequent changes in population, tourism, infrastructure, and land management. Comparing this map with modern mapping can reveal shifts in settlement density, road expansion, recreational development, and environmental use. Yet its appeal is not only analytical. The combination of USGS precision, colored relief shading, and the naturally varied terrain of southeastern Oklahoma gives the map a quiet elegance. It preserves a moment when Broken Bow and its surrounding valleys, rivers, and forests were carefully measured, named, and rendered as part of America’s evolving geographic record.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Broken Bow
• Mountain Fork River
• Kiamichi River
• Ouachita National Forest
• Lakes
• Various roads identified throughout the map
• Surrounding valleys
• Residential areas shown in white spaces
• Unmarked hills and forested areas

Historical context & cartographic details

• Produced by the US Geological Survey as a historical 1:62,500 topographical map of Broken Bow, Oklahoma, and the surrounding area
• Dated 1959 with a 1960 imprint
• Published by the US Geological Survey, a U.S. scientific agency established in 1879 and known for accurate mapping and research into land use and natural resources
• Uses colored relief shading to show elevation changes and make the topography easier to interpret
• Depicts varied terrain with contour lines and shading representing hills, valleys, and elevation differences
• Reflects land use and geographical features from the late 1950s, offering a useful comparison point for modern development, landscape change, and population density shifts

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.