Rare Old Map of Laguna Beach, California by USGS, 1949 – Corona del Mar & Newport Beach
My maps are rare, museum-grade, restored old maps sourced from libraries, auction houses and private collections across the globe. Full description
The Collector’s Offer
Choose two eligible works and receive 20% off both. Choose three and the lowest-priced one is complimentary, a maximum saving of 33%.
Mix and match eligible standard maps and fine-art prints. No code is required; the offer is applied automatically at checkout.
Standard made-to-order configurations are included. Bespoke sizes, personalised designs and commissioned work are excluded.
Need delivery to different addresses? Contact us before ordering.The Collector’s Offer
Choose two eligible works and receive 20% off both. Choose three and the lowest-priced one is complimentary, a maximum saving of 33%.
Mix and match eligible standard maps and fine-art prints. No code is required; the offer is applied automatically at checkout.
Standard made-to-order configurations are included. Bespoke sizes, personalised designs and commissioned work are excluded.
Need delivery to different addresses? Contact us before ordering.
Restored in London • Printed and framed in Canada
My maps are rare, museum-grade, restored old maps sourced from libraries, auction houses and private collections across the globe. Full description
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Gift message & custom finish
If you want to add a gift message, or a finish (jigsaw, aluminium board, etc.) that is not available here, please request it in the "order note" when you check out.
Every order is custom made, so if you need the size adjusted slightly, or printed on an unusual material, just let us know. We've done thousands of custom orders over the years, so there's (almost) nothing we can't manage.
You can also contact us before you order, if you prefer!
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The “Laguna Beach Quadrangle,” dated 1949, is a finely detailed US Geological Survey topographical portrait of one of Southern California’s most dramatic...
Continue readingThe “Laguna Beach Quadrangle,” dated 1949, is a finely detailed US Geological Survey topographical portrait of one of Southern California’s most dramatic coastal landscapes. At a scale of 1:24,000, it captures the meeting of the Pacific Ocean with steep canyons, coastal bluffs, and the rising inland terrain around Laguna Beach, Corona del Mar, and Newport Beach. The map belongs to the great mid-century USGS tradition: precise, utilitarian, and quietly beautiful, with contour lines and carefully coded features transforming geography into an elegant visual language. Here, the Orange County coast appears at a moment before the full intensity of postwar development, when beach communities, canyon roads, and open hillsides still shared the landscape in a delicate balance.
The US Geological Survey, founded in 1879, became the authoritative cartographic voice of the American landscape, and maps such as this helped define the modern standard for topographic mapping. The agency’s quadrangles were designed not merely to show roads and settlements, but to reveal the structure of the land itself: elevation, drainage, slope, shoreline, and the subtle relationships between natural and built environments. In the “Laguna Beach Quadrangle,” that scientific discipline is particularly rewarding. Brown contours describe the folded hills above the coast; blue waterways and ocean edges clarify the movement of water; and the cultural markings of streets, buildings, and routes preserve the human footprint of the late 1940s with remarkable clarity.
Laguna Beach forms the emotional center of the map, its coves and shorefront neighborhoods set between the sea and the steep terrain of Laguna Canyon. Main Beach, Woods Cove, Thousand Steps Beach, and Emerald Bay evoke the distinctive rhythm of this coastline, where small pockets of sand are framed by cliffs and promontories. To the northwest, Corona del Mar and Newport Beach mark the transition toward a more developed harbor landscape, while offshore the vast Pacific dominates the composition. Santa Catalina Island, when included in the coastal view or referenced by orientation, adds a wider maritime context, reminding the viewer that this was not only a map of land, but of a coast shaped by ocean approaches, visibility, and distance.
The topographic character of the quadrangle is especially compelling: the land rises quickly from the shoreline into a rugged interior of canyons, ridges, and chaparral-covered slopes. Aliso Creek and Laguna Canyon create natural corridors through the hills, while elevations such as Mount Souvignon emphasize the abrupt relief that gives the region its scenic power. Areas now associated with Laguna Coast Wilderness Park and Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park appear here before their later conservation identities, offering a valuable glimpse of a landscape on the threshold of transformation. The map’s contours make clear why roads, neighborhoods, and trails followed particular paths, bending to the discipline imposed by canyon walls and coastal grades.
As a historical document, this 1949 USGS map preserves Orange County’s coast at a decisive postwar moment. Laguna Beach Village, the future vicinity of the Sawdust Art Festival, and the surrounding beach communities were already developing cultural identities, yet much of the surrounding terrain remained open, steep, and relatively undeveloped. In the decades that followed, the region would experience major urban expansion alongside an equally significant movement toward environmental preservation. That tension—between settlement and sanctuary—is legible in the map’s every line. It is both a technical achievement and a time capsule, presenting Laguna Beach and Corona del Mar before freeways, subdivisions, and protected wilderness designations reshaped how Southern Californians inhabited this extraordinary edge of land and sea.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Laguna Beach
- Corona del Mar
- Newport Beach
- Aliso Creek
- Thousand Steps Beach
- Woods Cove
- Main Beach
- Emerald Bay
- Pacific Ocean
- Santa Catalina Island
- Laguna Canyon
- Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park
- Mount Souvignon
- Sawdust Art Festival site
- Laguna Coast Wilderness Park
- Laguna Beach Village
Historical context & cartographic details
- Name of the map: Laguna Beach Quadrangle
- Date of creation: 1949
- Mapmaker/publisher: US Geological Survey (USGS)
- Scale and type: Historical 1:24,000 topographical map
- Mapmaker context: The USGS played an essential role in developing topographical maps and setting cartographic standards still used today.
- Design and style: Features a traditional USGS topographical style with contour lines, shaded relief, and color-coded elevation.
- Topographic character: Shows significant elevation changes, with mountainous terrain sloping down toward the coastline.
- Historical significance: Reflects the geography and urban development of the area in 1949, before later changes in urbanization and environmental conservation.
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.
The “Laguna Beach Quadrangle,” dated 1949, is a finely detailed US Geological Survey topographical portrait of one of Southern California’s most dramatic coastal landscapes. At a scale of 1:24,000, it captures the meeting of the Pacific Ocean with steep canyons, coastal bluffs, and the rising inland terrain around Laguna Beach, Corona del Mar, and Newport Beach. The map belongs to the great mid-century USGS tradition: precise, utilitarian, and quietly beautiful, with contour lines and carefully coded features transforming geography into an elegant visual language. Here, the Orange County coast appears at a moment before the full intensity of postwar development, when beach communities, canyon roads, and open hillsides still shared the landscape in a delicate balance.
The US Geological Survey, founded in 1879, became the authoritative cartographic voice of the American landscape, and maps such as this helped define the modern standard for topographic mapping. The agency’s quadrangles were designed not merely to show roads and settlements, but to reveal the structure of the land itself: elevation, drainage, slope, shoreline, and the subtle relationships between natural and built environments. In the “Laguna Beach Quadrangle,” that scientific discipline is particularly rewarding. Brown contours describe the folded hills above the coast; blue waterways and ocean edges clarify the movement of water; and the cultural markings of streets, buildings, and routes preserve the human footprint of the late 1940s with remarkable clarity.
Laguna Beach forms the emotional center of the map, its coves and shorefront neighborhoods set between the sea and the steep terrain of Laguna Canyon. Main Beach, Woods Cove, Thousand Steps Beach, and Emerald Bay evoke the distinctive rhythm of this coastline, where small pockets of sand are framed by cliffs and promontories. To the northwest, Corona del Mar and Newport Beach mark the transition toward a more developed harbor landscape, while offshore the vast Pacific dominates the composition. Santa Catalina Island, when included in the coastal view or referenced by orientation, adds a wider maritime context, reminding the viewer that this was not only a map of land, but of a coast shaped by ocean approaches, visibility, and distance.
The topographic character of the quadrangle is especially compelling: the land rises quickly from the shoreline into a rugged interior of canyons, ridges, and chaparral-covered slopes. Aliso Creek and Laguna Canyon create natural corridors through the hills, while elevations such as Mount Souvignon emphasize the abrupt relief that gives the region its scenic power. Areas now associated with Laguna Coast Wilderness Park and Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park appear here before their later conservation identities, offering a valuable glimpse of a landscape on the threshold of transformation. The map’s contours make clear why roads, neighborhoods, and trails followed particular paths, bending to the discipline imposed by canyon walls and coastal grades.
As a historical document, this 1949 USGS map preserves Orange County’s coast at a decisive postwar moment. Laguna Beach Village, the future vicinity of the Sawdust Art Festival, and the surrounding beach communities were already developing cultural identities, yet much of the surrounding terrain remained open, steep, and relatively undeveloped. In the decades that followed, the region would experience major urban expansion alongside an equally significant movement toward environmental preservation. That tension—between settlement and sanctuary—is legible in the map’s every line. It is both a technical achievement and a time capsule, presenting Laguna Beach and Corona del Mar before freeways, subdivisions, and protected wilderness designations reshaped how Southern Californians inhabited this extraordinary edge of land and sea.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Laguna Beach
- Corona del Mar
- Newport Beach
- Aliso Creek
- Thousand Steps Beach
- Woods Cove
- Main Beach
- Emerald Bay
- Pacific Ocean
- Santa Catalina Island
- Laguna Canyon
- Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park
- Mount Souvignon
- Sawdust Art Festival site
- Laguna Coast Wilderness Park
- Laguna Beach Village
Historical context & cartographic details
- Name of the map: Laguna Beach Quadrangle
- Date of creation: 1949
- Mapmaker/publisher: US Geological Survey (USGS)
- Scale and type: Historical 1:24,000 topographical map
- Mapmaker context: The USGS played an essential role in developing topographical maps and setting cartographic standards still used today.
- Design and style: Features a traditional USGS topographical style with contour lines, shaded relief, and color-coded elevation.
- Topographic character: Shows significant elevation changes, with mountainous terrain sloping down toward the coastline.
- Historical significance: Reflects the geography and urban development of the area in 1949, before later changes in urbanization and environmental conservation.
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.
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.
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.
Every Unique Maps piece begins with an authentic cartographic source or an original design from our London studio.
For our historic maps, we source rare originals from libraries, archives, auction houses and private collections around the world. We carefully restore each map for print—repairing age-related damage, balancing colour and improving clarity while preserving its original detail, texture and character.
Once restored, the map is prepared for your chosen size and finish. Your piece is then printed and, where selected, framed close to its delivery destination.
Our map prints use acid-free 200gsm archival matte paper and fade-resistant pigment inks, creating a rich, non-glossy finish designed to last. Framed maps use crystal-clear optical acrylic and arrive ready to hang.
Canvas, cotton-rag and other specialist presentations are also available. Learn more about our materials and finishes.
Personalising your map
You can add a short title or dedication, mark one meaningful place, or request one considered visual detail. For personalised designs, we send a proof before printing and you can request changes before approval.
For more complex bespoke commissions, contact our design team.
Original or Aged
Choose Original for true-to-source colour, or Aged for a warmer, richer antique character created with our specialist ageing process. See examples of our Aged maps.
We’ve been restoring and producing maps and art prints since 1984, and we stand behind every piece.
Every order is covered by our 10-year guarantee and damage-free delivery guarantee. If your piece arrives damaged, we’ll replace or remake it free of charge. If anything else isn’t right, contact our workshop team and we’ll put it right promptly.
See our returns and refund policy for full details.
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