Published in 1960 using survey data from 1959, the US Geological Survey’s “Cedarburg Quadrangle” captures a poised mid-century portrait of southeastern Wisconsin, centered on the historic city of Cedarburg. Drawn at the intimate 1:24,000 scale, it translates the landscape into the refined visual language of American topography: contour lines describing slope and relief, blue waterways threading through the terrain, green forested tracts, red roads and built-up areas, and carefully marked rail lines. Cedarburg appears not merely as a place name, but as the focus of a living regional network—linked to Grafton, Mequon, agricultural lands, and the sinuous corridors of Cedar Creek and the Milwaukee River.

The US Geological Survey brought more than half a century of institutional expertise to maps such as this, combining field survey, aerial interpretation, and rigorous standardization to create documents of exceptional reliability. By 1959, USGS quadrangles had become indispensable tools for engineers, planners, conservationists, travelers, and local authorities, offering a shared picture of the American landscape at a practical yet beautifully detailed scale. The “Cedarburg Quadrangle” belongs to this distinguished cartographic tradition, balancing scientific precision with restrained visual elegance. Its symbols and colors are purposeful, yet the result has a quiet artistry: a landscape reduced to line, tint, and notation without losing its human and natural character.

Cedarburg itself lends the map particular charm. Known for its 19th-century stone buildings, mill heritage, and enduring village character, the city sits along Cedar Creek, whose valley is legible here through both blue linework and the subtle pull of surrounding contours. The map situates Cedarburg within a broader countryside of farm fields, wooded patches, roads, railways, and neighboring settlements, revealing the interdependence of town and terrain. Grafton lies nearby, while Mequon anchors the southern portion of the quadrangle, suggesting the gradual transition from rural Ozaukee County landscapes toward the expanding metropolitan influence of Milwaukee. The red shading of populated places hints at the scale of development before later suburban growth transformed much of the region.

Water gives the quadrangle much of its structure. Cedar Creek and the Milwaukee River are more than decorative features; they define valleys, settlement patterns, transportation corridors, and historic industry. The contours around these waterways show the modest but meaningful relief of southeastern Wisconsin, where glacially shaped landforms, drainage lines, and low ridges guide roads and fields. Lake Michigan lies beyond the eastern regional imagination of this landscape, influencing settlement, climate, commerce, and orientation even where the quadrangle focuses inland. Parks, recreational grounds, and green forested areas appear as signs of preserved natural texture amid working agricultural land, offering a snapshot of the balance between cultivation, habitation, and open space in the late 1950s.

As a historical document, the “Cedarburg Quadrangle” is especially evocative because it records the area just before decades of intensified suburban expansion, highway development, and changing land use. Its agricultural parcels, rail connections, smaller urban footprints, and clearly distinguished country roads preserve a moment when Cedarburg, Grafton, and Mequon were linked to Milwaukee yet still strongly shaped by local waterways and rural patterns. For anyone drawn to Wisconsin history, regional planning, or the aesthetics of mid-century cartography, the map offers both precision and atmosphere. It is a disciplined government survey, but also a finely composed portrait of place: Cedarburg and its surroundings suspended at a particular threshold between old landscapes and modern growth.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Cedarburg
• Grafton
• Mequon
• Milwaukee River
• Lake Michigan
• Cedar Creek
• Various forested areas highlighted in green
• Urban areas shaded in red
• Roads depicted in red lines
• Railways represented with distinct markings
• Parks and recreational areas
• Contour lines indicating terrain elevation
• Agricultural lands

Historical context & cartographic details

• Produced by the US Geological Survey as a historical 1:24,000 topographical map of Cedarburg, Wisconsin and the surrounding area.
• Based on survey data from 1959 and published with a 1960 imprint.
• Created by the US Geological Survey, known for detailed and reliable topographical mapping.
• Uses traditional topographical styling with color differentiation for forests, water bodies, populated areas, and other land features.
• Shows varied terrain, with elevation changes used to highlight valleys and waterways.
• Captures the Cedarburg area before later changes in land use, urban growth, natural landscapes, and environmental conditions.

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.