Published in 1953 from survey data gathered in 1951, the “Clinton Quadrangle” presents a finely observed portrait of the Connecticut shoreline at mid-century. Produced by the United States Geological Survey, it centers on Madison and Clinton, where the ordered geometry of roads and settlements meets the tidal margins of Long Island Sound. At a 1:31,680 scale, the map offers an intimate yet comprehensive view of the region, balancing coastal detail with inland topography. Its bright, legible color scheme distinguishes water, woodland, built areas, and relief with the clarity for which USGS cartography is admired, making it both a scientific document and a striking visual record of a changing New England landscape.

The USGS tradition behind this map is one of exacting field observation and practical public service. Established to document the nation’s geology, water resources, and terrain, the agency became the authoritative voice in American topographic mapping. Here, contour lines articulate the subtle rises and hollows behind the shore, revealing a landscape more varied than the calm coastal setting might suggest. Around Madison, low hills, valleys, streams, and wetlands are rendered with disciplined precision, allowing the viewer to understand how settlement followed both the coastline and the natural corridors of the land. The map’s aesthetic appeal lies in this union of utility and elegance: every line is purposeful, yet the whole composition has quiet graphic beauty.

Madison, Connecticut, appears as the principal coastal community, with roads, neighborhoods, and natural features arranged around its access to Long Island Sound. The shoreline is one of the map’s most engaging elements, tracing the meeting of land and water at beaches, inlets, and harbor approaches. Nearby Clinton Harbor, Cummings Beach, and the coastal stretches around Hammonasset State Park evoke a region shaped by fishing, recreation, seasonal residence, and conservation. Hammonasset, already one of Connecticut’s treasured seaside landscapes, anchors the map with broad natural presence. The cartography captures this area before later decades of intensified development, preserving the relationship between town, beach, marsh, and sound as it stood in the early 1950s.

Inland from the shore, the “Clinton Quadrangle” becomes a study in movement and terrain. Routes 1 and 81, along with smaller local roads, form a visible framework connecting Madison, Clinton, and surrounding rural districts. Streams such as Mill Creek and the Menunketesuck River thread through the landscape, their courses subtly explaining the valleys and drainage patterns emphasized by the contour lines. Elevation points and closely spaced contours draw attention to the region’s modest but expressive relief, a terrain of wooded rises, small farms, village edges, and watercourses. These details give the map particular historical richness, showing not merely where people lived and traveled, but how the physical land guided those patterns.

As a historical document, this map offers a compelling snapshot of coastal Connecticut at a moment between older rural patterns and the suburban expansion that would accelerate in the second half of the twentieth century. Its depiction of Madison and Clinton preserves road networks, recreational areas, waterways, and land uses before many later alterations to the built and natural environment. For collectors, historians, and admirers of New England geography, the “Clinton Quadrangle” is valuable not only for what it shows, but for the exact moment it records. It invites comparison with the present day, revealing continuities along the Sound while quietly documenting the transformations of shoreline communities, transportation routes, and preserved open spaces.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Madison, Connecticut
• Clinton, Connecticut
• Long Island Sound
• Clinton Harbor
• Cummings Beach
• Hammonasset State Park
• Several smaller recreational areas
• Routes 1 and 81
• Mill Creek
• Menunketesuck River
• Notable landforms and elevation points indicated by contour lines

Historical context & cartographic details

• Historical topographical map of Madison, Connecticut and the surrounding area
• Produced by the United States Geological Survey
• Survey data gathered in 1951 and published with a 1953 imprint
• Drawn at a 1:31,680 scale for detailed topographic representation
• Contour lines show elevation changes, hills, valleys, and varied terrain
• Bright colors distinguish different land uses and physical features
• Shows a mix of developed land, residential areas, natural landscapes, and coastal terrain
• Captures the area in the early 1950s, useful for studying urban development and environmental change over time

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.