{"product_id":"old-map-of-mono-lake-california-by-usgs-1958-bodie-mono-basin-tioga-pass","title":"Old Map of Mono Lake, California by USGS, 1958 – Bodie, Mono Basin \u0026 Tioga Pass","description":"\u003cp\u003ePublished in 1959 from survey data gathered in 1958, the USGS quadrangle titled “Bodie” captures one of California’s most dramatic high-desert landscapes with the precision and restraint characteristic of mid-century American topographic mapping. Centered on the Mono Basin and the country around the historic mining town of Bodie, the map belongs to the era when the United States Geological Survey was expanding its authoritative portrait of the nation’s terrain, water systems, and mineral regions. At a scale of 1:62,500, it balances broad geographic sweep with practical detail, presenting roads, trails, creeks, lakes, ridges, flats, and settlement traces in a clear visual language designed for field use, scientific study, and land management.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMono Lake dominates the sheet, its pale expanse set within an austere basin east of the Sierra Nevada. This saline soda lake is one of the most singular natural features in California, known for its alkaline waters, unusual mineral formations, and vital habitat for migratory birds and brine shrimp. The map records the lake within a surrounding terrain of volcanic uplands, dry flats, intermittent drainages, and rugged slopes, emphasizing the stark hydrological contrast between water and desert. Later decades would bring intense public attention to Mono Lake as water diversions altered its level and ecology, making this 1958–1959 depiction a valuable snapshot of the basin before major conservation battles reshaped its modern story.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe topographic character of the map is especially compelling around the Sierra Nevada approaches, where contour lines and relief treatment articulate a landscape of steep gradients and alpine drama. Features such as Tioga Pass, Mount Gibbs, and Mount Conness mark the western high country, linking the Mono Basin to the immense granitic spine of the Sierra. Lee Vining Creek descends from the mountains toward Mono Lake, its course revealing the relationship between snow-fed highlands and the arid basin below. The dense contouring around peaks and passes contrasts sharply with the more open patterns of Negative Flat and the basin floor, allowing the viewer to read elevation, exposure, and drainage almost intuitively.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBodie itself gives the map its title and much of its historical resonance. Once a booming gold-mining town, Bodie had become by the mid-twentieth century an emblem of the American West’s extractive past: remote, weathered, and suspended between ruin and legend. The USGS treatment is notably unsentimental, identifying the town and its surrounding roads within the same disciplined cartographic framework as creeks, summits, and flats. Yet that restraint heightens the drama. The map situates Bodie not as an isolated curiosity, but as part of a broader mining and travel landscape shaped by geology, elevation, water scarcity, and the difficult routes threading through Mono County.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a work of the United States Geological Survey, “Bodie” reflects an institution central to the scientific understanding of the American landscape. Founded in the late nineteenth century, the USGS transformed vast and complex regions into standardized, data-rich maps useful to geologists, engineers, conservationists, and explorers alike. This sheet’s mid-century style—crisp linework, measured contours, carefully named natural and cultural features, and a strong emphasis on usability—embodies that mission. It records not only where things were, but how the land worked: how mountains enclosed basins, how creeks fed lakes, how roads negotiated passes, and how human settlement followed mineral promise through a demanding terrain of remarkable beauty.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCities, towns and places on this map\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMono Lake\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBodie — historic mining town\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMono Basin\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLee Vining Creek\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTioga Pass\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMount Gibbs\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMount Conness\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMono County\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWalker Lake\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNegative Flat\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMono Basin Scenic Area\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLakes and reservoirs in the surrounding area\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRoads and trails connecting these locations\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistorical context \u0026amp; cartographic details\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProduced by the United States Geological Survey, commonly known as the USGS.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHistorical 1:62,500 topographical map of the Mono Lake area in California.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBased on survey data from 1958 and published with a 1959 imprint.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe USGS is a scientific agency of the U.S. government known for detailed mapping and geological surveys.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReflects the USGS role in documenting American geology, hydrology, biology, and landscape features.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUses contour lines to show elevation changes and mountainous terrain around Mono Lake.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFeatures a clear mid-20th-century USGS topographic style designed for readability and outdoor navigation.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIncludes prominent elevation markings and shaded relief, emphasizing accurate terrain representation.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRepresents a period of expanding understanding of California’s natural resources.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOffers historical context for later ecological changes in the Mono Lake area linked to water management and conservation efforts.\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":59901468639616,"sku":null,"price":75.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":59901468672384,"sku":null,"price":201.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Framed canvas map","offer_id":59901468705152,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Map","offer_id":59901468737920,"sku":null,"price":75.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":59901468770688,"sku":null,"price":201.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Framed canvas 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