Published in 1965 from 1963 survey work, the US Geological Survey’s “Kingston East” presents a finely detailed portrait of the Hudson Valley at a moment when old river towns, rural estates, rail corridors, and modern highways were beginning to overlap in new ways. Centered on Kingston and Rhinebeck, New York, the map captures both banks of the Hudson River with the precision characteristic of USGS 1:24,000 topographic mapping. Kingston appears with the gravity of its history as New York’s first capital, positioned where the Esopus Creek meets the Hudson, while Rhinebeck is shown amid the more open landscapes and historic settlement patterns of Dutchess County. The result is an evocative mid-century record of a region defined by water, elevation, transportation, and enduring colonial-era place names.

The cartography is classic USGS: disciplined, lucid, and rich with information. Contour lines articulate the area’s rolling hills, river bluffs, valleys, and subtle changes in elevation, making the terrain legible at a glance. Green tones mark forested land, blue traces the Hudson, Rondout Creek, Esopus Creek, and smaller waterways, while red emphasizes denser urban and residential development. Roads, railways, public buildings, cemeteries, schools, and other landmarks are carefully symbolized, giving the map the quality of both a scientific document and a civic portrait. This balance of clarity and density is part of the enduring appeal of mid-twentieth-century USGS mapping: every mark serves a practical purpose, yet together they create a remarkably atmospheric view of place.

Kingston’s presence on the map is especially compelling. Long before the highways and suburbs of the twentieth century, the city was a strategic Hudson River settlement, briefly serving as the first capital of New York during the Revolutionary era. On this map, its neighborhoods, road grid, and industrial corridors occupy the western side of the river, with the Esopus Creek and Rondout Creek helping to define its geography. The Rondout district, historically tied to canal commerce, river trade, and stone shipment, is part of the wider story suggested by the map’s rail lines, waterways, and routes. By 1963, Kingston was both historic and modernizing, its older streets and waterfront infrastructure standing alongside expanding residential districts and improved regional connections.

Across the Hudson, Rhinebeck is shown within a landscape of roads, farms, estates, wooded tracts, and small settlements characteristic of the east bank of the river. Known for its historic architecture and cultural life, Rhinebeck occupies a gentler but no less storied terrain, shaped by Dutch and later American settlement, river travel, and agricultural wealth. Route 9G and other roads knit the area into the broader Hudson Valley, while railways and ferry-era patterns recall older forms of movement along and across the river. The map’s depiction of parks, recreational spaces, and natural features underscores the region’s long appeal as both a working landscape and a retreat, valued for its scenery, historic villages, and proximity to the Catskill Mountains.

As a historical document, “Kingston East” is particularly fascinating for what it preserves of the mid-1960s Hudson Valley. Interstate 87 and other modern routes indicate the growing dominance of automobile travel, while older roads and rail alignments reveal earlier layers of regional development. Forested areas, waterways, residential shading, and open land allow the viewer to compare a remembered landscape with today’s patterns of expansion, preservation, and redevelopment. The Hudson River remains the great organizing feature, flowing between communities whose histories are deeply intertwined yet geographically distinct. In its careful rendering of hills, creeks, towns, transport lines, and civic landmarks, this USGS map offers far more than orientation: it is a measured, elegant snapshot of a historically rich American corridor in transition.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Kingston, NY
• Rhinebeck, NY
• Hudson River
• Esopus Creek
• Rondout Creek
• Hudson Valley
• Catskill Mountains
• Route 9G
• Route 213
• Interstate 87
• Railways, including historical and active routes
• Parks and recreational areas
• Residential neighborhoods
• Historic sites and landmarks denoted with map symbols
• Swartswood Lake

Historical context & cartographic details

• Produced by the US Geological Survey as a historical 1:24,000 topographical map of Kingston, Rhinebeck, and the surrounding New York area.
• Dated 1963 with a 1965 imprint.
• Published by the US Geological Survey, an agency established in 1879 and known for scientific mapping of natural resources and hazards.
• Kingston is historically significant as the first capital of New York and is situated at the confluence of the Hudson River and Esopus Creek.
• Rhinebeck is known for its historical architecture and cultural importance.
• The map uses color to distinguish land uses, including green for forested areas and red for urbanized regions.
• Blue waterways and vibrant green forest areas enhance readability and highlight ecological features.
• Contour lines and symbols show topographical features and elevation changes.
• The map depicts varied terrain, including hills, valleys, and changing elevations.
• Many features and landmarks may have changed since the mid-1960s, reflecting later urban expansion, redevelopment, or conservation efforts.

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.