Titled “Abington,” this 1920 United States Geological Survey topographical map presents a finely measured portrait of southeastern Massachusetts at a moment before the region’s later suburban expansion. Drawn at the practical 1:62,500 scale, it encompasses Cohasset, Hingham, Abington, Norwell, Rockland, Pembroke, Duxbury, Kingston, Weymouth, and Scituate, linking coastal settlements with inland towns through a precise language of contours, roads, railways, and waterways. Though named for Abington, the sheet’s interest extends across a broad landscape of harbor communities, wooded uplands, ponds, and river corridors. Its careful representation of elevation and infrastructure captures a region balanced between old maritime traditions, small-town industry, agriculture, and the early networks that would shape modern commuting patterns.

The United States Geological Survey brought to maps like this a distinctive authority rooted in systematic fieldwork, standardized symbols, and national ambition. By the early twentieth century, USGS topographical sheets had become indispensable tools for engineers, planners, educators, travelers, and local officials, translating the American landscape into an accurate and elegant visual system. Here, the familiar period palette is both functional and quietly beautiful: land in soft green, water in blue, roads and railroads in fine linear detail, and contour lines threading across the sheet to describe every rise, hollow, ridge, and valley. The result is not merely a guide to place, but a disciplined portrait of terrain, settlement, and movement.

Cohasset and Hingham are among the map’s most evocative coastal communities, each carrying deep associations with Massachusetts maritime history. Hingham, with its long harbor tradition and shipbuilding legacy, appears within a wider network of roads, rail lines, and waterways that speak to its role as both an old seaport town and a modernizing suburb of Boston. Cohasset, celebrated for its rocky shore, sea views, and historic village character, anchors the map’s coastal edge with a sense of New England permanence. Nearby Weymouth and Scituate further enrich the maritime setting, while inland towns such as Rockland and Abington reveal the industrial and residential patterns developing beyond the shoreline.

The topographical character of the sheet is especially compelling in its treatment of southeastern Massachusetts’ modest but varied landforms. Unlike the dramatic mountain maps of the American West, this landscape is shaped by subtler features: low hills, shallow valleys, wetlands, ponds, and river systems left by glacial history. North Lake and South Lake stand out as important inland water bodies, while the North River winds through a landscape of town boundaries, marshy margins, and wooded ground. Contour lines give structure to this seemingly gentle terrain, revealing drainage patterns, slopes, and natural corridors. Roads, trails, and railways intersect these features, demonstrating how settlement adapted to the land rather than simply overriding it.

Viewed historically, the map preserves a landscape on the edge of transformation. In 1920, much of the area still retained open land, village centers, rail-based travel, and older road systems, even as automobile routes such as what would become State Route 3A and State Route 53 pointed toward a new era of regional mobility. Since then, population growth, suburban development, expanded infrastructure, and environmental change have altered many of the towns shown here. That contrast gives the map particular value: it records Cohasset, Hingham, Abington, Norwell, Pembroke, Duxbury, Kingston, Weymouth, Scituate, and their surroundings before the full force of twentieth-century development reshaped the South Shore.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Cohasset
• Hingham
• Abington
• Norwell
• Rockland
• Pembroke
• Duxbury
• Kingston
• Weymouth
• Scituate
• North Lake
• South Lake
• North River
• State Route 3A
• State Route 53
• Railways
• Parks
• Various trails and waterways

Historical context & cartographic details

• Created in 1920.
• Produced by the US Geological Survey.
• Historical 1:62,500 topographical map of Cohasset, Hingham, and the surrounding area in Massachusetts.
• Prepared using precise survey data typical of USGS topographical mapping.
• Features a period-standard color scheme, with light greens for land and blue for water bodies.
• Includes fine linework for roads and railroads.
• Uses detailed contour lines to show elevation changes, hills, valleys, and other landforms.
• Documents the area before later urban development, population growth, infrastructure expansion, and environmental change transformed the landscape.

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 18x24in (45x60cm) 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.