{"product_id":"old-map-of-excelsior-minnesota-by-usgs-1958-lake-minnetonka-wayzata","title":"Old Map of Excelsior, Minnesota by USGS, 1958 – Lake Minnetonka \u0026 Wayzata","description":"\u003cp\u003e“Excelsior Quadrangle,” published by the United States Geological Survey in 1959 from original survey data collected in 1958, presents a richly detailed portrait of one of Minnesota’s most celebrated lake districts at mid-century. Drawn at the precise 1:24,000 scale typical of USGS quadrangle mapping, it captures the western reaches of the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan orbit just as postwar suburban growth was beginning to reshape the landscape. Excelsior, Wayzata, Orono, Shorewood, and Long Lake appear among a mosaic of bays, roads, rail alignments, wooded tracts, and cultivated land. The result is both a navigational document and a historical snapshot, preserving the relationship between small lakeside communities and the intricate shoreline geography of Lake Minnetonka.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLake Minnetonka dominates the composition, its branching bays and peninsulas rendered with the clarity that made USGS topographic maps indispensable to engineers, planners, geologists, and travelers. Crystal Bay, Lafayette Bay, St. Alban Bay, Smiths Bay, and Gardner’s Bay form an elegant network of water and land, while Smith Point and Government Island add distinctive geographical punctuation. The shoreline itself tells a story of settlement and recreation: resort-era towns such as Excelsior and Wayzata had long drawn visitors by steamboat, rail, and automobile, and by the late 1950s were evolving into affluent lakeside communities. The map preserves this transitional moment, when cabins, villages, farms, roads, and natural corridors still coexisted in close balance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe US Geological Survey’s cartographic language is especially well suited to this landscape. Contour lines articulate the gentle but meaningful rises around Lake Minnetonka, revealing the glacially shaped terrain that defines much of eastern Minnesota. Lakes such as Minnewashta, Duck Lake, Pomeroy Lake, DeLong Lake, Bowers Lake, and Lake Wylie are placed within a wider topographic system of low hills, wetlands, and drainage patterns. Color is used with disciplined restraint: water, vegetation, roads, built areas, and elevation are differentiated for quick reading without sacrificing elegance. The standard grid overlay supports practical orientation, while the density of detail rewards close inspection, from road junctions and township lines to subtle shifts in land cover.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExcelsior occupies a particularly evocative position on the map, reflecting its long importance as a social and recreational center on Lake Minnetonka’s southern shore. In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the town became famous for lake tourism, amusement grounds, excursion traffic, and summer residences, and traces of that culture remain embedded in the geography shown here. Wayzata, on the opposite side of the lake system, carries a parallel history as a resort and rail-linked community that later became one of the region’s most desirable addresses. Between them lie Orono, Greenwoods, Shorewood, and smaller named places, each situated within the distinctive pattern of bays, wooded roads, and lakefront settlement.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a historical document, this map is especially compelling because it records the Excelsior–Lake Minnetonka area just before the acceleration of late twentieth-century metropolitan expansion. The road network, town boundaries, open land, and lakeside development shown here offer a valuable comparison with the contemporary landscape, where suburbanization has transformed many former rural or semi-rural edges. Yet the enduring features remain: the winding geometry of the shoreline, the blue expanse of Lake Minnetonka, the chain of smaller lakes, and the subtle relief left by glacial processes. Produced by one of America’s great scientific mapping institutions, “Excelsior Quadrangle” combines technical authority with a strong sense of place, making it a refined cartographic record of Minnesota’s lake country.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eCities, towns and places on this map\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExcelsior\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLake Minnetonka\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWayzata\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCrystal Bay\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLafayette Bay\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSt. Alban Bay\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSmiths Bay\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMinnewashta\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOrono\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShorewood\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLong Lake\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGreenwoods\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLake Wylie\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBrecksville\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGardner's Bay\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSmith Point\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDuck Lake\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePomeroy Lake\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDeLong Lake\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBowers Lake\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGovernment Island\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eHistorical context \u0026amp; cartographic details\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProduced by the US Geological Survey.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHistorical 1:24,000 topographical map of Excelsior, Lake Minnetonka, Wayzata, and the surrounding Minnesota area.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOriginal survey data was collected in 1958 and the map was published in 1959.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShows the geographical layout of the area during the late 1950s.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProvides insight into how urban development and natural features have changed over time.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFeatures a clear color scheme indicating elevations and land use.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIncludes a standard grid overlay for navigation.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDepicts elevations, water bodies, vegetation, and other landscape features typical of USGS topographic maps at this scale.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLooking for a particular place?\u003c\/strong\u003e Review the detailed images to confirm that the town, landmark or feature you have in mind appears on the map. If you are unsure, \u003ca target=\"”_blank”\" href=\"\/es\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003eask our workshop to check before you order\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDetailed 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 50in (125cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please \u003ca href=\"\/es\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003eget in touch\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe model in the listing images is holding the 16x20in (40x50cm) version of this map.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhere personalisation is available, you can add a short title or dedication, mark one meaningful place, or request one considered visual detail. \u003ca target=\"”_blank”\" href=\"\/es\/pages\/map-personalisation\"\u003eSee personalised map examples\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEvery 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWith 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 \u003ca target=\"”_blank”\" href=\"\/es\/collections\/all-old-vintage-antique-maps\"\u003erare old and vintage maps\u003c\/a\u003e to discover another place, period or style.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Unique Maps Co.","offers":[{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Map","offer_id":58767135474048,"sku":null,"price":76.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":58767135506816,"sku":null,"price":203.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Framed canvas map","offer_id":58767135539584,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Map","offer_id":58767135572352,"sku":null,"price":76.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":58767135605120,"sku":null,"price":203.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Framed canvas 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