Rare Old Map of Lake Bluff, Illinois by USGS, 1960: Lake Forest, Waukegan & Lake Michigan
Restored in our London workshop from the original 1988 map and printed to museum-grade archival standards. 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 the EU
Restored from the original 1988 map and printed to museum-grade archival standards. 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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Published in 1988 from 1960 mapping, the US Geological Survey’s “Waukegan” presents a precise 1:24,000 portrait of Illinois’ North Shore at a...
Continue readingPublished in 1988 from 1960 mapping, the US Geological Survey’s “Waukegan” presents a precise 1:24,000 portrait of Illinois’ North Shore at a moment of poised suburban expansion. Centered on Waukegan and extending through North Chicago, Lake Bluff, and Lake Forest, the map captures a landscape where the metropolitan reach of Chicago meets the disciplined geometry of roads, railways, neighborhoods, and lakeside institutions. Lake Michigan forms the defining eastern edge, its shoreline anchoring the composition and giving scale to the towns that grew beside it. The date pairing is especially evocative: the underlying survey preserves the geography and land use patterns of the early 1960s, while the later imprint reflects the enduring utility of this cartographic record.
The US Geological Survey was the preeminent American authority for systematic topographic mapping, and this sheet exemplifies the organization’s rigorous approach to terrain, infrastructure, and settlement. At 1:24,000 scale, the map translates the region into a richly legible language of contour lines, symbols, road classifications, rail corridors, water features, and built-up areas. Its color-coding distinguishes urban fabric, open land, wooded sections, and hydrological features with clarity and restraint. Rather than dramatizing the landscape, the USGS style reveals it through exactness: the modest rises and dips of the Lake Michigan coastal plain, the gridded streets of developing suburbs, and the network of transportation routes that shaped daily life and regional growth.
Lake Bluff and Lake Forest lend the map much of its character, appearing as refined suburban communities set between wooded ravines, residential streets, and the lakefront. Both towns developed reputations for picturesque planning, institutional landmarks, and gracious proximity to Lake Michigan, and their mapped forms suggest the balance of seclusion and connectivity that made the North Shore distinctive. Waukegan, farther north, appears more urban and industrial in character, historically tied to manufacturing, harbor activity, and regional commerce. North Chicago and Great Lakes add another layer of significance, with the naval presence marking the area as a landscape of national service as well as suburban domesticity.
The shoreline is among the map’s most compelling features, tracing beaches, bluffs, and coastal edges along Lake Michigan with the quiet authority of topographic detail. Inland, the terrain is largely gentle, yet the contours record subtle relief: low hills, drainage patterns, and the transitions between developed neighborhoods and more open tracts. Roads and railways cut through the sheet as evidence of twentieth-century mobility, linking residential enclaves, commercial corridors, military installations, and recreational landscapes. Parks and green spaces offer counterpoints to the urban grid, while the surrounding agricultural and undeveloped areas recall a period before later waves of sprawl transformed much of Lake County.
As a historical document, “Waukegan” captures an important threshold in northeastern Illinois, when postwar suburbanization was reshaping the North Shore but had not yet erased many older land-use patterns. The map records a region defined by layered identities: lakeside resort and commuter suburb, industrial city, military hub, and open Midwestern terrain. Its restrained palette and intricate symbols invite close reading, rewarding the eye with evidence of vanished roads, expanded neighborhoods, altered shorelines, and changing civic priorities. For anyone drawn to the history of Chicago’s northern hinterland, this map offers a remarkably detailed snapshot of place, planning, and landscape at mid-century.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Waukegan
- North Chicago
- Lake Bluff
- Lake Forest
- Great Lakes Naval Station
- Residential neighborhoods and commercial areas
- Lakeshore and beachfront along Lake Michigan
- Road routes and railways
- Parks and recreational areas
Historical context & cartographic details
- Historical 1:24,000 topographical map of the Waukegan area in Illinois.
- Created in 1960 and published with a 1988 imprint.
- Produced by the US Geological Survey, known for detailed and precise topographical mapping.
- Uses intricate layering and color-coding to show terrain types, elevations, land uses, roads, natural features, and built environments.
- Contrasting colors distinguish urban, agricultural, and natural landscapes.
- Shows relatively flat terrain with slight hills and coastal features along Lake Michigan.
- Reflects land use and development patterns from the 1960s.
- Provides insight into historical growth, urban planning, suburban development, and later landscape changes in the Waukegan area.
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.
Published in 1988 from 1960 mapping, the US Geological Survey’s “Waukegan” presents a precise 1:24,000 portrait of Illinois’ North Shore at a moment of poised suburban expansion. Centered on Waukegan and extending through North Chicago, Lake Bluff, and Lake Forest, the map captures a landscape where the metropolitan reach of Chicago meets the disciplined geometry of roads, railways, neighborhoods, and lakeside institutions. Lake Michigan forms the defining eastern edge, its shoreline anchoring the composition and giving scale to the towns that grew beside it. The date pairing is especially evocative: the underlying survey preserves the geography and land use patterns of the early 1960s, while the later imprint reflects the enduring utility of this cartographic record.
The US Geological Survey was the preeminent American authority for systematic topographic mapping, and this sheet exemplifies the organization’s rigorous approach to terrain, infrastructure, and settlement. At 1:24,000 scale, the map translates the region into a richly legible language of contour lines, symbols, road classifications, rail corridors, water features, and built-up areas. Its color-coding distinguishes urban fabric, open land, wooded sections, and hydrological features with clarity and restraint. Rather than dramatizing the landscape, the USGS style reveals it through exactness: the modest rises and dips of the Lake Michigan coastal plain, the gridded streets of developing suburbs, and the network of transportation routes that shaped daily life and regional growth.
Lake Bluff and Lake Forest lend the map much of its character, appearing as refined suburban communities set between wooded ravines, residential streets, and the lakefront. Both towns developed reputations for picturesque planning, institutional landmarks, and gracious proximity to Lake Michigan, and their mapped forms suggest the balance of seclusion and connectivity that made the North Shore distinctive. Waukegan, farther north, appears more urban and industrial in character, historically tied to manufacturing, harbor activity, and regional commerce. North Chicago and Great Lakes add another layer of significance, with the naval presence marking the area as a landscape of national service as well as suburban domesticity.
The shoreline is among the map’s most compelling features, tracing beaches, bluffs, and coastal edges along Lake Michigan with the quiet authority of topographic detail. Inland, the terrain is largely gentle, yet the contours record subtle relief: low hills, drainage patterns, and the transitions between developed neighborhoods and more open tracts. Roads and railways cut through the sheet as evidence of twentieth-century mobility, linking residential enclaves, commercial corridors, military installations, and recreational landscapes. Parks and green spaces offer counterpoints to the urban grid, while the surrounding agricultural and undeveloped areas recall a period before later waves of sprawl transformed much of Lake County.
As a historical document, “Waukegan” captures an important threshold in northeastern Illinois, when postwar suburbanization was reshaping the North Shore but had not yet erased many older land-use patterns. The map records a region defined by layered identities: lakeside resort and commuter suburb, industrial city, military hub, and open Midwestern terrain. Its restrained palette and intricate symbols invite close reading, rewarding the eye with evidence of vanished roads, expanded neighborhoods, altered shorelines, and changing civic priorities. For anyone drawn to the history of Chicago’s northern hinterland, this map offers a remarkably detailed snapshot of place, planning, and landscape at mid-century.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Waukegan
- North Chicago
- Lake Bluff
- Lake Forest
- Great Lakes Naval Station
- Residential neighborhoods and commercial areas
- Lakeshore and beachfront along Lake Michigan
- Road routes and railways
- Parks and recreational areas
Historical context & cartographic details
- Historical 1:24,000 topographical map of the Waukegan area in Illinois.
- Created in 1960 and published with a 1988 imprint.
- Produced by the US Geological Survey, known for detailed and precise topographical mapping.
- Uses intricate layering and color-coding to show terrain types, elevations, land uses, roads, natural features, and built environments.
- Contrasting colors distinguish urban, agricultural, and natural landscapes.
- Shows relatively flat terrain with slight hills and coastal features along Lake Michigan.
- Reflects land use and development patterns from the 1960s.
- Provides insight into historical growth, urban planning, suburban development, and later landscape changes in the Waukegan area.
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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