Rare Old Map of Omaha, Nebraska by USGS, 1956: Council Bluffs, Carter Lake & Missouri River
Restored in our London workshop from the original 1970 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 1970 map and printed to museum-grade archival standards. Full description
Choose your size
Choose your finish
(More info)
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!
Own a piece of history
8,000+ five-star reviews
Titled “Omaha North,” this United States Geological Survey topographical map presents the northern reaches of Omaha, Nebraska, and its neighboring Iowa lowlands...
Continue readingTitled “Omaha North,” this United States Geological Survey topographical map presents the northern reaches of Omaha, Nebraska, and its neighboring Iowa lowlands with the disciplined clarity of mid-century American cartography. Dated 1956 and carrying a 1970 imprint, it preserves a revealing portrait of the city at a moment when postwar expansion, highway-era planning, industrial growth, and older riverine settlement patterns all overlapped. At the 1:24,000 scale, the map offers an intimate view of streets, rail corridors, public institutions, parks, and waterways, translating metropolitan complexity into a precise visual language. Omaha’s urban grid is set against the sinuous Missouri River, whose course shaped commerce, settlement, and the enduring relationship between Nebraska and Iowa.
The US Geological Survey, long respected for its scientific rigor and national mapping program, brought to “Omaha North” the standardized elegance of its topographic series. Contour lines articulate the subtle rise and fall of the landscape, while color distinguishes built-up areas, open land, vegetation, roads, and water. This is a map designed not merely to locate places, but to explain them: the dense geometry of neighborhoods, the placement of civic facilities, the routes of rail lines, and the contrasting softness of riverbanks and parks are all rendered with quiet authority. Its visual style is both functional and handsome, a synthesis of survey data, field observation, and cartographic discipline.
Omaha itself dominates the western side of the composition, its streets forming a legible urban lattice that speaks to decades of planning and growth. North Omaha’s residential districts appear as tightly ordered blocks, while industrial corridors and transportation routes reveal the city’s economic infrastructure. Rail lines, long central to Omaha’s development as a gateway to the West, cut across the map as reminders of the city’s role in freight, migration, and regional exchange. Florence, one of the area’s historically significant communities, appears within this northern metropolitan landscape, connecting the map to earlier settlement stories that predate Omaha’s full emergence as a modern urban center.
To the east, the Missouri River provides the map’s most dramatic natural feature, winding between Nebraska and Iowa with a presence that is both boundary and bond. Council Bluffs appears across the river, linked to Omaha through a shared history of trade, transport, and river crossing. Carter Lake, with its distinctive relationship to the river’s shifting channels and jurisdictional peculiarities, adds another layer of geographic intrigue. The map captures a landscape shaped by water as much as by streets: floodplains, banks, and low-lying areas contrast with the developed grid, revealing how urban expansion adapted to the river’s changing edge and the practical demands of settlement.
As a historical document, “Omaha North” offers a richly detailed snapshot of the city before many later transformations altered its metropolitan form. Parks and recreational grounds appear as green interruptions in the urban fabric, while public facilities and institutional sites mark the civic ambitions of a growing city. The juxtaposition of neighborhoods, industrial zones, roads, and railways evokes the mid-20th-century American city in transition—still closely tied to rail and river, yet increasingly shaped by modern planning and suburban pressure. For collectors of historic urban cartography, this map is especially compelling: it preserves Omaha not as an abstract place-name, but as a living terrain of movement, work, settlement, and natural geography.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Omaha, Nebraska
- Council Bluffs, Iowa
- Florence
- Carter Lake
- Missouri River
- Streets and roads
- Parks and recreational areas
- Residential neighborhoods
- Public facilities and institutions
- Industrial zones
- Rail lines
Historical context & cartographic details
- Produced by the United States Geological Survey (USGS)
- Historical 1:24,000 topographical map
- Dated 1956 with a 1970 imprint
- Shows Omaha and the surrounding area during the mid-20th century
- Provides insight into Omaha’s geographical layout, urban development, land use, and settlement patterns
- Uses a vibrant USGS color scheme to distinguish elevation, land use, and bodies of water
- Features clearly marked contour lines representing elevation changes
- Depicts both urban street grids and natural features, including the winding Missouri River
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.
Titled “Omaha North,” this United States Geological Survey topographical map presents the northern reaches of Omaha, Nebraska, and its neighboring Iowa lowlands with the disciplined clarity of mid-century American cartography. Dated 1956 and carrying a 1970 imprint, it preserves a revealing portrait of the city at a moment when postwar expansion, highway-era planning, industrial growth, and older riverine settlement patterns all overlapped. At the 1:24,000 scale, the map offers an intimate view of streets, rail corridors, public institutions, parks, and waterways, translating metropolitan complexity into a precise visual language. Omaha’s urban grid is set against the sinuous Missouri River, whose course shaped commerce, settlement, and the enduring relationship between Nebraska and Iowa.
The US Geological Survey, long respected for its scientific rigor and national mapping program, brought to “Omaha North” the standardized elegance of its topographic series. Contour lines articulate the subtle rise and fall of the landscape, while color distinguishes built-up areas, open land, vegetation, roads, and water. This is a map designed not merely to locate places, but to explain them: the dense geometry of neighborhoods, the placement of civic facilities, the routes of rail lines, and the contrasting softness of riverbanks and parks are all rendered with quiet authority. Its visual style is both functional and handsome, a synthesis of survey data, field observation, and cartographic discipline.
Omaha itself dominates the western side of the composition, its streets forming a legible urban lattice that speaks to decades of planning and growth. North Omaha’s residential districts appear as tightly ordered blocks, while industrial corridors and transportation routes reveal the city’s economic infrastructure. Rail lines, long central to Omaha’s development as a gateway to the West, cut across the map as reminders of the city’s role in freight, migration, and regional exchange. Florence, one of the area’s historically significant communities, appears within this northern metropolitan landscape, connecting the map to earlier settlement stories that predate Omaha’s full emergence as a modern urban center.
To the east, the Missouri River provides the map’s most dramatic natural feature, winding between Nebraska and Iowa with a presence that is both boundary and bond. Council Bluffs appears across the river, linked to Omaha through a shared history of trade, transport, and river crossing. Carter Lake, with its distinctive relationship to the river’s shifting channels and jurisdictional peculiarities, adds another layer of geographic intrigue. The map captures a landscape shaped by water as much as by streets: floodplains, banks, and low-lying areas contrast with the developed grid, revealing how urban expansion adapted to the river’s changing edge and the practical demands of settlement.
As a historical document, “Omaha North” offers a richly detailed snapshot of the city before many later transformations altered its metropolitan form. Parks and recreational grounds appear as green interruptions in the urban fabric, while public facilities and institutional sites mark the civic ambitions of a growing city. The juxtaposition of neighborhoods, industrial zones, roads, and railways evokes the mid-20th-century American city in transition—still closely tied to rail and river, yet increasingly shaped by modern planning and suburban pressure. For collectors of historic urban cartography, this map is especially compelling: it preserves Omaha not as an abstract place-name, but as a living terrain of movement, work, settlement, and natural geography.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Omaha, Nebraska
- Council Bluffs, Iowa
- Florence
- Carter Lake
- Missouri River
- Streets and roads
- Parks and recreational areas
- Residential neighborhoods
- Public facilities and institutions
- Industrial zones
- Rail lines
Historical context & cartographic details
- Produced by the United States Geological Survey (USGS)
- Historical 1:24,000 topographical map
- Dated 1956 with a 1970 imprint
- Shows Omaha and the surrounding area during the mid-20th century
- Provides insight into Omaha’s geographical layout, urban development, land use, and settlement patterns
- Uses a vibrant USGS color scheme to distinguish elevation, land use, and bodies of water
- Features clearly marked contour lines representing elevation changes
- Depicts both urban street grids and natural features, including the winding Missouri River
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.
Or try searching for something!
