A Texan’s Map of the United States (of Texas), drawn in 1965 by Frank Oliver and issued by the Texoak Flooring Company of Crockett, revels in a winking boast: Texas at the center of everything. Its tongue‑in‑cheek title captures the buoyant mid‑century swagger that animates the composition, while a richly ornamented cartouche frames key scenes and lends the whole a ceremonious flourish. Oliver’s pictorial style—crowded with lively vignettes, crisply lettered labels, and a tidy legend of symbols—combines the authority of a reference with the charm of a travel poster. Neighboring states and international borders are present, but the eye is irresistibly pulled back to the Lone Star, its cities, parklands, and economic engines rendered with affectionate precision. This is Texas as both locale and idea, distinctly 1965 and unmistakably itself.

The geography unfurls as an illustrated atlas of moods and terrains. Blue ribbons trace the Rio Grande, Red, and Sabine Rivers, their courses visually anchoring edges and corridors of history, while stylized peaks wink toward the Guadalupe Mountains and the long tablelands of the Llano Estacado. The Gulf shoreline curls in a scalloped band of surf and shipping lanes, dotted with barrier islands and the arc of Padre Island National Seashore. To the west, desert austerity resolves into the rugged drama of Big Bend; to the heart, the Hill Country stirs with spring‑fed streams and limestone ridges along the Balcones Escarpment. Oliver knits these physiographic notes into a coherent stage on which Texas plays large, placing the state’s familiar outline against its neighbors with confident, celebratory proportion.

Cities become narrative chapters told through icons and emblems. Houston, close to the Gulf and the Ship Channel, bristles with refineries and a nod to the era’s Manned Spacecraft Center, capturing the thrill of the Space Age. San Antonio pairs mission arches with the Alamo’s unmistakable silhouette, while Dallas and Fort Worth balance modern skylines with stockyard energy. Austin, at the crossroads of rivers and hills, radiates governmental gravitas and cultural verve. El Paso anchors the Trans‑Pecos, gatekeeping the desert frontier, and Corpus Christi fronts the coast with maritime bustle. Rivers—Trinity, Brazos, Colorado—thread these urban scenes together like bright cords, and highways and rail lines hint at circulation and exchange. The effect is a mosaic of places that reads as a living itinerary as much as a map.

Economic landscapes are given equal stagecraft, and Oliver’s legend decodes them with spry efficiency. The Texas Citrus Belt ripens along the lower Rio Grande, its orchards set against irrigation lines and valley towns. Oil derricks prick the horizon from the Permian Basin to the Gulf Coast, converging with refineries near Houston in a visual grammar of pipes, tanks, and flame tips. The East Texas forests shade lumber and paper, while cattle and cotton pattern the Panhandle and Blackland Prairie in alternating textures of herd and furrow. Ports, pipelines, and railheads interlock, suggesting a state whose wealth runs from wellhead and grove to ship and sky. In 1965—on the cusp of new technologies and enduring industries—this is economic cartography as both inventory and invitation.

Frank Oliver’s authorship, published under the aegis of a proud Texas manufacturer, threads artistry with civic boosterism. His line has the sprightly confidence of mid‑century American pictorial mapping: humorous without caricature, informative without clutter, and anchored by a handsome cartouche that concentrates emblematic scenes into a heraldic frame. The legend’s symbols—neatly marshaled and consistently applied—tune the map’s exuberance into legibility. In the wider current of 1960s America—civil rights debates, suburban expansion, and a skyward glance toward the Moon—the map stands as a capsule of Texan self‑imagination, fusing frontier memory with modern might. It reads like a love letter and a ledger, a festive portrait of a state that insists, with generous confidence, on being the largest story on the page.

Cities and towns on this map

• Houston (Modern-day population: ~2.3 million)
• San Antonio (Modern-day population: ~1.5 million)
• Dallas (Modern-day population: ~1.3 million)
• Austin (Modern-day population: ~1 million)
• Fort Worth (Modern-day population: ~935,000)
• El Paso (Modern-day population: ~680,000)
• Corpus Christi (Modern-day population: ~325,000)

Notable Features & Landmarks

• Decorative cartouche that frames significant areas of the map.
• Illustrations of key landmarks such as state parks, historical sites, and major cities.
• Indication of economic regions, like the Texas Citrus Belt and oil fields.
• Visual cues that represent geographical features like rivers and mountains.
• Legend detailing symbols used throughout the map.

Historical and design context

• Creation Date: 1965
• Mapmaker/Publisher: Created by Frank Oliver; published by Texoak Flooring Company, Crockett, Texas.
• Mapmaker Context: Texoak Flooring Company, known as a manufacturer of Texas oak products, suggests a local interest in promoting Texan heritage and landscapes through this map.
• Themes: The map focuses on Texas within the context of the United States, showcasing its geographical features, cultural significance, and economic role during the 1960s.
• Design Style: The map is characterized by a pictorial and thematic representation, prominently using illustrations and decorative elements, which reflect mid-20th-century American cartographic style.
• Historical Significance: The map serves as an artifact encapsulating Texas's identity during a time of cultural revolution and expansion in the U.S., highlighting its historical boundaries and economic contexts.

Please double check the images to make sure that a specific town or place is shown on this map. You can also get in touch and ask us to check the map for you.

This map looks great at every size, but I always recommend going for a larger size if you have space. That way you can easily make out all of the details.

This map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 100in (250cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please get in touch.

The model in the listing images is holding the 18x24in (45x60cm) version of this map.

The fifth listing image shows an example of my map personalisation service.

If you’re looking for something slightly different, check out my collection of the best old maps to see if something else catches your eye.

Please contact me to check if a certain location, landmark or feature is shown on this map.

This would make a wonderful birthday, Christmas, Father's Day, work leaving, anniversary or housewarming gift for someone from the areas covered by this map.

This map is available as a giclée print on acid free archival matte paper, or you can buy it framed. The frame is a nice, simple black frame that suits most aesthetics. Please get in touch if you'd like a different frame colour or material. My frames are glazed with super-clear museum-grade acrylic (perspex/acrylite), which is significantly less reflective than glass, safer, and will always arrive in perfect condition.

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.

Many of our maps and art prints are chosen as thoughtful gifts for homes, offices, studies and meaningful places.

Choose a framed option for the easiest ready-to-hang gift, or choose an unframed print if the recipient may prefer to select their own frame.

We make orders locally in 23 countries around the world, so gifts can often be produced close to the recipient. This helps them arrive faster, travel more safely, and avoid customs or import duty surprises.

• We can deliver directly to the recipient
• Framed pieces arrive ready to hang
• Unframed prints are carefully packed in a strong protective tube
• Almost every order is made locally, for faster, safer gifting
• 90-day returns give the recipient time to decide

If you are not sure what to choose, please contact us. We can help you pick the right map, size, finish or delivery option.

Most orders are made locally and delivered in around 2–3 working days, depending on the product, size and destination.

We print and frame maps and artwork in 23 countries around the world, so your order is usually made close to you or your recipient. That means faster delivery, less time in transit, and no customs or import duty surprises.

Personalised and customised pieces usually take an extra 1–2 working days, because we prepare your design and send it to you for approval before printing.

Very large framed orders can take a little longer, as they need extra care in production and delivery.

Every order is carefully packaged: unframed prints are sent in a strong protective tube, while framed pieces are securely packed with protective materials around the frame.

If you need your order by a particular date, please contact us before ordering. We’ll check the best production route and delivery option for your location.

Express delivery is available at checkout for most countries. Next-day delivery is available in the UK, US, Singapore and the UAE.

Your order is covered by our 90-day returns policy and 10-year guarantee.

Read our full delivery and local production guide

Our standard frame is a gallery-style black ash hardwood frame, with a simple, modern look. It is approximately 20mm (0.8in) wide. You can also view some lovely customer photos of framed maps and art.

We use super-clear acrylic glazing, also known as Perspex or Acrylite, instead of traditional glass. It is lighter, safer, and has lower reflectivity, giving the artwork a clearer, cleaner appearance.

Six standard frame colours are available at no extra cost: black, dark brown, dark grey, oak, white, and antique gold. Custom framing and mounting/matting is also available for customers looking for something more specific.

Most maps, art prints, and illustrations are also available as a framed canvas. We use matte cotton canvas, stretch it over a sustainably sourced wooden box frame, and then float the piece within a wooden outer frame. The finished result is beautifully presented, with no glazing between you and the artwork.

All frames are supplied ready to hang, with either string or brackets fitted to the back. Very large frames will include heavy-duty hanging plates and/or a mounting baton. If you have any questions, please get in touch.

We can also supply old maps and artwork on canvas, foam board, cotton rag, and other materials.

If you would prefer to frame your map or artwork yourself, please read our size guide before ordering.

My maps are extremely high quality reproductions of original maps.

I source original, rare maps from libraries, auction houses and private collections around the world, restore them at my London workshop, and then use specialist giclée inks and printers to create beautiful maps that look even better than the original.

My maps are printed on acid-free archival matte (not glossy) paper that feels very high quality and almost like card. In technical terms the paper weight/thickness is 10mil/200gsm. It's perfect for framing.

I print with Epson ultrachrome giclée UV fade resistant pigment inks - some of the best inks you can find.

I can also make maps on canvas, cotton rag and other exotic materials.

Learn more about The Unique Maps Co.

Map personalisation

If you're looking for the perfect anniversary or housewarming gift, I can personalise your map to make it truly unique. For example, I can add a short message, or highlight an important location, or add your family's coat of arms.

The options are almost infinite. Please see my map personalisation page for some wonderful examples of what's possible.

To order a personalised map, select "personalise your map" before adding it to your basket.

Get in touch if you're looking for more complex customisations and personalisations.

Map ageing

I have been asked hundreds of times over the years by customers if they could buy a map that looks even older.

Well, now you can, by selecting Aged before you add a map to your basket.

All the product photos you see on this page show the map in its Original form. This is what the map looks like today.

If you select Aged, I will age your map by hand, using a special and unique process developed through years of studying old maps, talking to researchers to understand the chemistry of aging paper, and of course... lots of practice!

If you're unsure, stick to the Original colour of the map. If you want something a bit darker and older looking, go for Aged.

See some amazing examples of Aged maps.

Se non sei soddisfatto del tuo ordine per qualsiasi motivo, contattami per un rimborso senza problemi. Si prega di consultare la nostra politica di reso e rimborso per ulteriori informazioni.

Sono molto sicuro che ti piacerà la tua mappa restaurata o la stampa d'arte. Lo faccio dal 1984. Sono un venditore Etsy a 5 stelle. Ho venduto decine di migliaia di mappe e stampe d'arte e ho oltre 5.000 recensioni reali a 5 stelle.

Utilizzo un processo unico per restaurare mappe e opere d'arte che richiede molto tempo e lavoro. Trovare le mappe e le illustrazioni originali può richiedere mesi. Utilizzo tecnologia all'avanguardia e incredibilmente costosa per scannerizzare e restaurarle. Di conseguenza, garantisco che le mie mappe e stampe d'arte siano superiori alle altre - ecco perché posso offrire un rimborso senza problemi.

Quasi tutte le mie mappe e stampe d'arte sembrano fantastiche a grandi dimensioni (200 cm, 6,5 piedi+) e posso anche incorniciarle e consegnarle a te, tramite un corriere speciale per oggetti di grandi dimensioni. Contattami per discutere delle tue esigenze specifiche.