Titled “Southeast Missoula,” this United States Geological Survey quadrangle captures a richly detailed portion of western Montana as surveyed in 1964 and published with a 1967 imprint. At a precise 1:24,000 scale, it presents Missoula not as an abstract city plan, but as a settlement inseparable from its dramatic mountain setting. Streets, roads, waterways, forested slopes, and contour lines combine to reveal the relationship between urban growth and the surrounding terrain. The Clark Fork River anchors the composition, while the rising forms of Mount Sentinel, Mount Jumbo, and the South Hills frame the city. As a mid-1960s document, the map offers a compelling view of Missoula before later decades of expansion reshaped its edges and corridors.

The US Geological Survey was, and remains, one of the most important mapping institutions in the United States, producing authoritative cartography for science, infrastructure, resource management, and public land stewardship. Its topographic quadrangles became indispensable tools for engineers, planners, hikers, geologists, foresters, and local governments. In this map, the USGS’s disciplined visual language is immediately apparent: contour lines register the land’s rise and fall with mathematical clarity, while symbols distinguish forests, roads, trails, streams, and developed areas. The result is a map that is both practical and quietly elegant. It reflects an era when federal cartography fused field survey, aerial interpretation, and engraved precision into a lucid portrait of the American landscape.

Missoula’s geography is especially well suited to topographic mapping, and this quadrangle reveals why. The city lies in a valley carved and shaped by water, tectonics, and ancient glacial forces, with the Clark Fork River threading through the scene and Rattlesnake Creek descending toward the urban core. Mount Sentinel rises to the east, its slopes famously overlooking the University of Montana area, while Mount Jumbo stands to the northeast, creating a natural gateway and visual landmark. The South Hills show the broken, ascending terrain south of the city. Through the contour intervals, the map conveys not merely elevation, but the lived experience of place: steep approaches, sheltered flats, drainage lines, and the corridors along which roads and neighborhoods developed.

Beyond the city, the map gestures toward the larger wilderness and travel routes that have defined the Missoula region. Lolo National Forest appears as part of the broader mountain landscape surrounding the valley, tying the urban settlement to vast public lands of timber, wildlife habitat, and recreation. Lolo Pass, long significant as a passage through the northern Rockies, evokes Indigenous travel, the Lewis and Clark expedition, and later transportation through the Bitterroot and Clearwater country. Smaller trails, water bodies, and rural roads enrich the map with evidence of movement at many scales, from local access routes to regional mountain crossings. Places such as Dalles, Montana, add further texture to a landscape shaped by river travel, settlement, and rugged terrain.

As a historical record, “Southeast Missoula” invites comparison with the contemporary city and its surroundings. The 1964 survey captures patterns of development, transportation, and land use at a moment before subsequent suburban expansion, highway changes, and environmental pressures altered the valley floor and surrounding hillsides. Dense forest markings, clear waterways, and carefully drawn landforms preserve a snapshot of ecological and urban conditions in the mid-twentieth century. For collectors drawn to Montana, American topography, or the visual history of western cities, the map is especially evocative: it shows Missoula poised between mountain town and expanding regional center. Its beauty lies in the exactness of its information and in the story that precision allows the landscape to tell.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Missoula
• Lolo National Forest
• Lolo Pass
• Clark Fork River
• Rattlesnake Creek
• Mount Sentinel
• Mount Jumbo
• South Hills
• Dalles, Montana
• Roads and highways in the Missoula area
• Various trails and smaller water bodies depicted on the map

Historical context & cartographic details

• Produced by the United States Geological Survey, this historical 1:24,000 topographical map shows Missoula, Montana, and the surrounding area.
• Created using survey data from 1964 and published with a 1967 imprint.
• The USGS is a principal U.S. government agency responsible for mapping and geospatial data.
• The USGS has a long history of mapping and surveying in the United States, providing essential data for resource management, natural hazard assessments, and land use planning.
• The map prominently features Missoula, highlighting its urban layout and geographic features.
• Traditional topographic features include contour lines, shading to indicate elevation, and land use classifications.
• The terrain is shown through varied elevations, dense forest areas, and clear water bodies.
• Comparing this historical map with modern maps reveals urban and natural changes in Missoula and its surroundings over several decades.

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.