Published in 1955 using survey data from 1953, the US Geological Survey’s “Suquamish” presents Bainbridge Island and the neighboring Kitsap Peninsula in the precise, elegant language of mid-century American topography. At a 1:24,000 scale, the map captures a richly indented Puget Sound landscape of harbors, passages, wooded uplands, and waterfront settlements. Bainbridge Island dominates the composition, framed by Agate Pass, Port Madison, Eagle Harbor, Blakely Harbor, and Point White, while Suquamish, Keyport, and Poulsbo anchor the surrounding mainland. The map’s original title is understated, yet evocative: “Suquamish” calls attention to a place name deeply rooted in the Indigenous history of the region and to a shoreline community long associated with the waters and crossings of Puget Sound.

The cartographic style is classic USGS: measured, legible, and beautifully informative. Contour lines ripple across the island and adjacent terrain, revealing the hilly profile of Bainbridge Island, the rise around Strawberry Hill, the slopes near Battle Point, and the gentler lowlands leading toward harbors and coves. The green tinting emphasizes woodland cover, giving the map a subtle natural texture and suggesting the still-rural character of much of the area in the early 1950s. Roads, shorelines, settlements, and elevation markings combine to create a layered portrait of place, where topography and human settlement appear in careful balance. It is a map designed for accuracy, yet it also possesses the quiet beauty of a landscape observed with discipline and restraint.

Bainbridge Island appears here at a fascinating moment in its history, before later waves of suburbanization fully reshaped its relationship with nearby Seattle and the broader Puget Sound metropolitan region. Winslow, now a prominent ferry-linked center, is shown within a broader constellation of shoreline communities including Lynwood Center, Crystal Springs, Manzanita, Fort Ward, and Raccoon Point. Eagle Harbor and Blakely Harbor recall the island’s maritime and industrial past, while Point White and Battle Point evoke the importance of promontories, fields, and navigational landmarks in local life. The map preserves a mid-century geography of farms, forests, roads, military traces, and small communities, making it an unusually evocative record of Bainbridge before its later transformation into a highly sought-after residential enclave.

Across the water, the map extends to the Kitsap communities that helped define the region’s maritime geography. Suquamish occupies a historically resonant position near Agate Pass and Port Madison, a place associated with the Suquamish people and with the enduring cultural landscape of Chief Seattle’s homeland. Poulsbo, with its Scandinavian heritage, lies to the northwest, while Keyport and Port Orchard point toward the naval and industrial networks that shaped Kitsap County in the twentieth century. Kitsap Lake and Scenic Beach suggest the recreational and natural appeal of the peninsula, while the surrounding contours and wooded expanses show a terrain far more intricate than a shoreline view alone would imply. The map quietly connects Indigenous, maritime, military, and settlement histories through geography.

Produced by the US Geological Survey, “Suquamish” belongs to one of the most important mapping traditions in the United States. USGS topographic maps were created not merely to depict roads and towns, but to document the nation’s physical form with scientific clarity—its elevations, watersheds, shorelines, forests, and built features. In this sheet, that mission yields a remarkably detailed historical snapshot of central Puget Sound in the 1950s. Every contour, cove, and place name contributes to an understanding of how land and water governed movement, settlement, and identity. For collectors of Washington cartography, maritime landscapes, or mid-century American topographic design, this map offers both technical refinement and a deeply atmospheric view of Bainbridge Island and its surrounding waters.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Bainbridge Island
• Suquamish
• Port Madison
• Winslow
• Manzanita
• Keyport
• Agate Pass
• Poulsbo
• Point White
• Blakely Harbor
• Kitsap Lake
• Lynwood Center
• Battle Point
• Eagle Harbor
• Crystal Springs
• Port Orchard
• Strawberry Hill
• Scenic Beach
• Raccoon Point
• Fort Ward
• Waterfront Park

Historical context & cartographic details

• Titled “Suquamish”
• Produced by the US Geological Survey (USGS)
• Based on data from 1953 and published in 1955
• Historical 1:24,000 topographical map focusing on Bainbridge Island and surrounding areas in Washington
• Features a detailed topographic layout with contour lines showing elevation changes across the terrain
• Uses a predominantly green color palette to indicate land coverage and wooded areas
• Shows varied elevations, hilly areas, and valleys through contour detail
• Represents a mid-20th-century snapshot of the region, showing how development and land use may have changed 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 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.