Titled “Alton,” this US Geological Survey topographical map was compiled in 1957 and issued with a 1969 imprint, preserving a richly detailed portrait of New Hampshire’s Lakes Region at mid-century. Centered on the town of Alton, the map extends across a varied landscape of lake shores, wooded uplands, small settlements, roads, rail lines, and rural valleys. Its 1:62,500 scale offers a generous regional view while retaining the precision for which USGS quadrangles are prized. Contour lines articulate the rise and fall of the land with elegant clarity, tracing hills, ridges, and basins around Lake Winnipesaukee, Alton Bay, Merrymeeting Lake, Crystal Lake, and a constellation of smaller ponds.

The US Geological Survey brought to this map nearly a century of institutional expertise in scientific cartography, producing sheets that were essential to engineers, planners, foresters, conservationists, and travelers. Unlike decorative maps made primarily for display, USGS topographic maps combine aesthetic restraint with rigorous observation: water, woodland, elevation, transport routes, and settlement patterns are organized into a legible portrait of place. Here, the Lakes Region appears not as a romantic abstraction but as a working landscape, where villages, farms, forests, shore communities, and mountain terrain coexist. The result is a map of quiet authority, revealing how Alton and its neighboring towns fit into the broader geography of central New Hampshire.

Lake Winnipesaukee is the dominant natural presence, with Alton Bay forming a graceful southern arm that draws the eye into the composition. Nearby water bodies—Merrymeeting Lake, Beaver Lake, Long Lake, Hunkins Pond, Hills Pond, Steven’s Pond, and Crystal Lake—underscore the hydrological richness of the region. The Suncook River and smaller drainage channels thread through valleys and lowlands, linking upland ponds with broader watershed systems. These features are more than scenic details: they shaped settlement, transportation, recreation, and land use throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The map captures a moment when lakeside development was expanding, yet large tracts of woodland and rural terrain still defined the character of the area.

The topography surrounding Alton is especially compelling, with Mount Major, Gunstock Mountain, and Belknap Mountain rising as prominent anchors in the mapped landscape. Contour lines gather tightly around these highlands, giving a vivid sense of steep slopes and elevated ridgelines, while gentler spacing marks farms, valleys, and settled corridors. Trails appear across the uplands, hinting at the region’s long tradition of hiking and outdoor recreation, particularly in the Belknap Range. The inclusion of Alton Town Forest and other conservation lands reflects the growing importance of protected landscapes in New Hampshire. In this way, the map records both natural form and human stewardship, balancing wilderness, access, and preservation.

Roads and railroads give the map its historical pulse. Routes 11, 28, and 102 trace connections between Alton, Barnstead, Middleton, New Durham, Farmington, and Gilford, showing how communities were linked before the later intensification of automobile-oriented development. Rail lines, where indicated, recall earlier patterns of movement and commerce, when lakeside tourism, timber, agriculture, and small industry depended on dependable regional transport. For collectors, historians, and admirers of New Hampshire, this map offers more than geographic information: it is a mid-century document of change. It shows Alton poised between rural tradition and modern recreation, between working landscape and conserved terrain, and between local identity and the wider story of the Lakes Region.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Alton
• Lake Winnipesaukee
• Barnstead
• Middleton
• New Durham
• Farmington
• Gilford
• Mount Major
• Suncook River
• Hunkins Pond
• Crystal Lake
• Merrymeeting Lake
• Beaver Lake
• Long Lake
• Gunstock Mountain
• Belknap Mountain
• Hills Pond
• Steven's Pond
• Alton Bay
• Route 11
• Route 28
• Route 102
• Railroads
• Trails
• Alton Town Forest
• Conservation areas and parks

Historical context & cartographic details

• Map titled “Alton”, showing Alton, New Hampshire, and the surrounding area.
• Produced by the US Geological Survey (USGS).
• Historical 1:62,500 topographical map.
• Dated 1957 and published with a 1969 imprint.
• Features clear topographical detail, including contour lines showing elevations and depressions.
• Uses contrasting colors to distinguish land, water bodies, and vegetation.
• Shows hills, valleys, lakes, and rivers through contour lines and shading.
• Captures the Alton-area landscape in the late 1950s.
• Offers insight into land use, natural features, development, and land conservation in the region.

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.