Rare Old Map of Bernardsville, New Jersey by USGS, 1947: Bridgewater, Basking Ridge & Great Swamp
Restored in our London workshop from the original map and printed to museum-grade archival standards. Full description
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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 the EU
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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Titled “Bernardsville,” this 1947 United States Geological Survey topographical map presents a finely observed portrait of Somerset County, New Jersey, at a...
Continue readingTitled “Bernardsville,” this 1947 United States Geological Survey topographical map presents a finely observed portrait of Somerset County, New Jersey, at a moment when rural landscapes, country estates, small towns, and modern roadways were beginning to knit more tightly together. At the classic 1:24,000 scale, the map renders Bernardsville and its neighboring communities with the precision for which the USGS became renowned: contours, roads, trails, waterways, buildings, and landmarks are all organized into a clear scientific language. The result is both practical and evocative, showing the postwar geography of northern New Jersey before later suburban expansion altered the balance between village, farmland, woodland, and commuter corridor.
Bernardsville itself occupies a distinctive setting in the New Jersey Highlands and Piedmont transition, and the map’s contour lines beautifully reveal the area’s broken, hilly character. Ridges, slopes, and hollows are traced with close attention, giving visual form to the rugged terrain that shaped settlement patterns and road alignments. Rattlesnake Hill and other elevated features stand out as part of a landscape where topography mattered: roads bend around grades, residential areas cluster on gentler ground, and wooded tracts follow the more difficult slopes. The yellow-toned elevation styling, paired with crisp linework, gives the sheet a warm yet authoritative appearance, characteristic of mid-twentieth-century American topographic mapping.
The surrounding towns and crossroads deepen the historical interest of the map. Basking Ridge, Liberty Corner, and Bridgewater appear in relation to Bernardsville through a network of local roads, trails, and regional routes, including the important corridor of Route 202. These lines suggest the area’s increasing connection to the wider metropolitan orbit of New York and Newark, while still preserving the texture of older settlement: village centers, rural lanes, scattered residences, and parks. In 1947, this was a landscape poised between its agrarian and estate-country past and the accelerating suburban development that would define much of Somerset County in the second half of the century.
The map also captures the natural setting around lands associated with the Great Swamp, an area that would later become nationally significant for conservation. Lowlands, wetlands, streams, and surrounding uplands are part of the broader ecological fabric visible in the topography, emphasizing how water and relief shaped human use of the region. Trails and open areas hint at recreational and practical movement through the countryside, while the careful marking of roads and landmarks records the infrastructure of daily life. Seen today, the sheet offers a valuable pre-conservation and pre-suburbanization view of a landscape whose environmental importance would become increasingly recognized in the decades after its publication.
As a work of the United States Geological Survey, “Bernardsville” reflects the institution’s broader mission: to measure, classify, and make legible the physical character of the nation. Founded in 1879, the USGS became indispensable for mapping natural resources, terrain, hydrology, and hazards, and its topographic quadrangles remain among the most influential cartographic achievements in American history. This map is a refined example of that tradition, translating the hills, roads, settlements, and waterways of Somerset County into an elegant system of symbols and contours. More than a technical document, it is a historical snapshot of place—scientific, local, and quietly beautiful.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Bernardsville
- Bridgewater
- Liberty Corner
- Basking Ridge
- Rattlesnake Hill
- Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
- Route 202 and local roads
- Trails marked throughout the area
- Residential areas and parks
Historical context & cartographic details
- Produced by the US Geological Survey, this historical 1:24,000 topographical map shows Bernardsville, New Jersey, and the surrounding area.
- The map was created in 1947.
- The USGS is known for detailed geological mapping and for providing scientific information about the natural resources and natural hazards of the United States.
- The map features a classic topographical format with contour lines representing elevation changes.
- It uses a consistent color scheme with yellow tones for elevations.
- Roads and landmarks are clearly demarcated.
- The map illustrates varied elevations in the Bernardsville area, with detailed contours showing the rugged terrain typical of New Jersey’s hilly landscape.
- It reflects the geographical features and human infrastructure of Bernardsville as of 1947, offering insight into later developmental changes and urbanization.
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.
Titled “Bernardsville,” this 1947 United States Geological Survey topographical map presents a finely observed portrait of Somerset County, New Jersey, at a moment when rural landscapes, country estates, small towns, and modern roadways were beginning to knit more tightly together. At the classic 1:24,000 scale, the map renders Bernardsville and its neighboring communities with the precision for which the USGS became renowned: contours, roads, trails, waterways, buildings, and landmarks are all organized into a clear scientific language. The result is both practical and evocative, showing the postwar geography of northern New Jersey before later suburban expansion altered the balance between village, farmland, woodland, and commuter corridor.
Bernardsville itself occupies a distinctive setting in the New Jersey Highlands and Piedmont transition, and the map’s contour lines beautifully reveal the area’s broken, hilly character. Ridges, slopes, and hollows are traced with close attention, giving visual form to the rugged terrain that shaped settlement patterns and road alignments. Rattlesnake Hill and other elevated features stand out as part of a landscape where topography mattered: roads bend around grades, residential areas cluster on gentler ground, and wooded tracts follow the more difficult slopes. The yellow-toned elevation styling, paired with crisp linework, gives the sheet a warm yet authoritative appearance, characteristic of mid-twentieth-century American topographic mapping.
The surrounding towns and crossroads deepen the historical interest of the map. Basking Ridge, Liberty Corner, and Bridgewater appear in relation to Bernardsville through a network of local roads, trails, and regional routes, including the important corridor of Route 202. These lines suggest the area’s increasing connection to the wider metropolitan orbit of New York and Newark, while still preserving the texture of older settlement: village centers, rural lanes, scattered residences, and parks. In 1947, this was a landscape poised between its agrarian and estate-country past and the accelerating suburban development that would define much of Somerset County in the second half of the century.
The map also captures the natural setting around lands associated with the Great Swamp, an area that would later become nationally significant for conservation. Lowlands, wetlands, streams, and surrounding uplands are part of the broader ecological fabric visible in the topography, emphasizing how water and relief shaped human use of the region. Trails and open areas hint at recreational and practical movement through the countryside, while the careful marking of roads and landmarks records the infrastructure of daily life. Seen today, the sheet offers a valuable pre-conservation and pre-suburbanization view of a landscape whose environmental importance would become increasingly recognized in the decades after its publication.
As a work of the United States Geological Survey, “Bernardsville” reflects the institution’s broader mission: to measure, classify, and make legible the physical character of the nation. Founded in 1879, the USGS became indispensable for mapping natural resources, terrain, hydrology, and hazards, and its topographic quadrangles remain among the most influential cartographic achievements in American history. This map is a refined example of that tradition, translating the hills, roads, settlements, and waterways of Somerset County into an elegant system of symbols and contours. More than a technical document, it is a historical snapshot of place—scientific, local, and quietly beautiful.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Bernardsville
- Bridgewater
- Liberty Corner
- Basking Ridge
- Rattlesnake Hill
- Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
- Route 202 and local roads
- Trails marked throughout the area
- Residential areas and parks
Historical context & cartographic details
- Produced by the US Geological Survey, this historical 1:24,000 topographical map shows Bernardsville, New Jersey, and the surrounding area.
- The map was created in 1947.
- The USGS is known for detailed geological mapping and for providing scientific information about the natural resources and natural hazards of the United States.
- The map features a classic topographical format with contour lines representing elevation changes.
- It uses a consistent color scheme with yellow tones for elevations.
- Roads and landmarks are clearly demarcated.
- The map illustrates varied elevations in the Bernardsville area, with detailed contours showing the rugged terrain typical of New Jersey’s hilly landscape.
- It reflects the geographical features and human infrastructure of Bernardsville as of 1947, offering insight into later developmental changes and urbanization.
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.
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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