Published in 1947 from survey data gathered the same year, “Sea Cliff” is a finely observed US Geological Survey topographic map of Long Island’s North Shore at a moment of postwar transition. Centered on the Port Washington and Roslyn area, it records the intricate meeting of suburban settlement, tidal shoreline, wooded estates, and rolling terrain. The map’s traditional USGS style gives the landscape a disciplined clarity: contour lines articulate the rises and hollows of the Cow Neck Peninsula, while water features, roads, and built-up areas are distinguished through a restrained, legible color scheme. As a historical document, it captures a region poised between older village patterns and the accelerating residential development that would reshape Nassau County in the decades after World War II.

The geography shown is especially compelling because the North Shore of Long Island is anything but flat. Around Port Washington, Manhasset, Flower Hill, Kings Point, and Sands Point, the contours reveal a landscape of glacially formed ridges, shallow valleys, and bluffs descending toward Long Island Sound. Hempstead Harbor and the indented shoreline frame the map with maritime character, while inland ponds, wooded tracts, and parkland areas suggest the remnants of a more rural and estate-like environment. Lost Pond and surrounding lowlands add quieter natural detail amid the roads and neighborhoods. The result is a map that rewards close inspection, showing not only where communities stood, but also how the land itself shaped their growth.

Port Washington occupies a prominent place on the sheet, its streets and shoreline rendered with the precision characteristic of mid-century federal mapping. The town’s position on the Cow Neck Peninsula made it both a commuter suburb and a waterfront community, and this map preserves that dual identity. Shore Road, West Shore Road, Main Street, and nearby residential subdivisions trace the structure of daily movement, while the harbor edges evoke boatyards, docks, inlets, and the enduring pull of the Sound. Kings Point and Sands Point appear as distinctive peninsular communities, their roads set within a terrain of coves and elevations. For collectors interested in Long Island history, the map offers a richly layered view of the Gold Coast’s eastern reaches.

Roslyn, Manhasset, and Great Neck anchor the southern and western portions of the mapped area, linking shoreline villages with the larger transportation corridors of Nassau County. Northern Boulevard, Route 25A, stands out as a historic east-west artery, connecting older settlements and emerging suburbs across the North Shore. Broadway, Glen Cove Road, the Wantagh Parkway, and local streets mark a landscape increasingly shaped by automobile travel, yet still defined by older town centers and village roads. The map captures the texture of residential expansion before later waves of denser development. Its careful delineation of neighborhoods, parks, wooded areas, and civic spaces gives a vivid sense of how these communities were arranged in the late 1940s.

The US Geological Survey brought to “Sea Cliff” the rigor of a national mapping institution whose work was essential for planning, engineering, land management, and public understanding. By 1947, USGS topographic maps had become trusted instruments of both science and civic life, translating terrain into an elegant visual language of contours, symbols, and measured relationships. Here, that language turns a familiar suburban region into a historical landscape, preserving the elevations, waterways, roads, and settlement patterns of a specific year. For a luxury collection of historic maps, “Sea Cliff” is an evocative portrait of Long Island’s North Shore: precise, understated, and deeply informative, with every contour and shoreline hinting at the forces of nature, settlement, and change.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Port Washington
• Roslyn
• Great Neck
• Manhasset
• Kings Point
• Sands Point
• Flower Hill
• Long Island Sound
• Cow Neck Peninsula
• Hempstead Harbor
• Lost Pond
• Wantagh Parkway
• Northern Boulevard (Route 25A)
• Broadway
• Shore Road
• West Shore Road
• Main Street
• Glen Cove Road
• Various residential neighborhoods and subdivisions
• Parkland areas, including parks and wooded areas
• Areas and landmarks within the populated locations

Historical context & cartographic details

• Name of the Map: Sea Cliff
• Publisher: Produced by the US Geological Survey (USGS)
• Publication Year: 1947
• Historical Context: Based on survey data from 1947, the map provides insight into the geography and topography of the area during the late 1940s.
• Design Features: Traditional topographical style, with contour lines indicating elevation changes and a clear color scheme distinguishing land and water features.
• Topographic Character: Shows varied elevations and landscape details, including hills and valleys, using contour lines and shading techniques.
• Historical Significance: Serves as a historical snapshot of the area, showing urban development and geographic features that 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.