Published and imprinted in 1943, the US Geological Survey’s “Hummelstown Quadrangle” presents a finely detailed topographical portrait of south-central Pennsylvania, centered on Hershey and the surrounding Dauphin County landscape. Created in the classic USGS quadrangle tradition, the map records the region at a fascinating mid-20th-century moment, before later waves of suburban growth and highway development transformed much of the area. Hershey appears not merely as a town, but as a notable built environment set within rolling agricultural country, connected by roads and railways to Hummelstown, South Hanover, East Hanover, and neighboring settlements. The result is a richly informative view of a landscape balanced between rural Pennsylvania, industrial-era connectivity, and the growing prominence of Hershey as a distinctive American place.

The cartographic language of the map is quintessentially topographical: contour lines articulate the rise and fall of the terrain, while colored elevation patterns and shaded relief give the hills, valleys, and ridgelines a vivid sense of structure. Around Hershey and Hummelstown, the land is shown as a carefully measured system of slopes, stream corridors, farm roads, and settled pockets. Rather than treating geography as a flat arrangement of place names, the USGS style reveals how human settlement follows the shape of the land. Valleys carry transportation routes, rivers define movement and drainage, and uplands frame the communities below. This meticulous rendering gives the map both scientific precision and visual elegance.

Among the most compelling natural features shown is the Swatara River, whose course helps organize the geography of the quadrangle. Its valley forms a corridor of movement and settlement, linking rural areas, towns, and infrastructure across the map. To the north, Blue Mountain and the broader Appalachian ridgelines introduce a more rugged topographic character, while South Mountain and the surrounding uplands suggest the layered terrain that distinguishes this part of Pennsylvania. Places such as Gold Spring, Fisherville, North Annville, East Hanover, and West Hanover appear within this textured landscape, each situated in relation to roads, waterways, and elevation. The map captures not only where these places are, but why they developed where they did.

The US Geological Survey, responsible for the map, was by 1943 one of the most important scientific mapping institutions in the United States. Its quadrangle maps were designed to provide standardized, reliable knowledge of the nation’s terrain, supporting engineering, resource management, land planning, military preparedness, and public understanding. In the context of the Second World War era, such mapping carried added significance, as accurate knowledge of infrastructure, relief, and settlement patterns was of practical national importance. Yet the “Hummelstown Quadrangle” also transcends utility: it reflects the USGS commitment to portraying the American landscape with clarity, consistency, and disciplined beauty. Every contour, road, railway, and stream contributes to a coherent geographical record.

As a historical document, this 1943 map offers an evocative glimpse of Hershey and its environs before the fuller suburbanization of the late 20th century. The farms and rural areas surrounding Hershey are still prominent, and the pattern of roads and railways reveals a landscape shaped by local commerce, agriculture, and regional connection rather than modern sprawl. Indiantown Gap, Blue Mountain, and the Hanover townships situate the map within a broader Pennsylvania setting of ridges, valleys, small communities, and strategic routes. For collectors, the appeal lies in this combination of precision and atmosphere: a scientifically rigorous topographic map that preserves the lived geography of a distinctive region at a pivotal historical moment.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Hershey
• Hummelstown
• South Hanover
• Indiantown Gap
• Blue Mountain
• Gold Spring
• Swatara River
• South Mountain
• North Annville
• Fisherville
• East Hanover
• West Hanover
• Farms and rural areas surrounding Hershey
• Roads and railways connecting the local areas

Historical context & cartographic details

• Produced by the US Geological Survey, this historical topographical map shows Hershey, Pennsylvania, and its surroundings.
• Dated and imprinted in 1943.
• Published by the US Geological Survey, an institution central to systematic geological and topographical mapping in the United States.
• Exhibits a classic topographical style, using contour lines and shaded relief to show terrain and elevation.
• Contour intervals help visualize hills, valleys, and elevation changes around the Hershey area.
• Reflects the mid-20th-century landscape before significant later development in the Hershey area.
• Shows an area that has likely experienced urban expansion, infrastructure development, and land-use changes since publication.
• Displays terrain through colored elevation patterns, demonstrating careful cartographic attention to the area’s geography and physical features.

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.