Rare Old Map of Tahlequah, Oklahoma by USGS, 1972: Grandview & Illinois River
Restored in our London workshop from the original 1974 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 1974 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 1974 from 1972 survey work, the US Geological Survey’s “Tahlequah” presents a precise and evocative portrait of northeastern Oklahoma at...
Continue readingPublished in 1974 from 1972 survey work, the US Geological Survey’s “Tahlequah” presents a precise and evocative portrait of northeastern Oklahoma at a particular moment in the late twentieth century. Centered on the city of Tahlequah, the map records the surrounding roads, waterways, settlement patterns, and relief with the disciplined clarity for which USGS quadrangles are prized. At a scale of 1:24,000, it captures the intimacy of local geography: bends in streams, subtle ridgelines, rural lanes, and the relationship between town and countryside. More than a utilitarian survey, it is a finely structured historical document, preserving the physical and infrastructural landscape before later phases of urban expansion, road improvement, and changing land use reshaped the area.
Tahlequah itself occupies a place of deep historical resonance in Oklahoma. Long associated with the Cherokee Nation and known as its capital, the town is far more than a point on the map; it is a cultural and political landmark embedded in the geography of the region. The USGS treatment allows the viewer to see Tahlequah not in isolation, but as part of a wider landscape of roads, creeks, ridges, and neighboring settlements such as Grandview. The map’s meticulous symbology gives form to the everyday terrain around the city, revealing how civic life, transportation routes, and natural features intertwined in the early 1970s. It is a record of place at human scale, rendered with scientific restraint.
The Illinois River is one of the most compelling natural features shown, its course helping to define the local landscape and recreational identity of the area. Around it, streams and creeks articulate the drainage patterns that give this portion of Oklahoma its character, while contour lines trace the rises and hollows of the terrain. In places where the contours gather closely, the map conveys sharper elevation changes and a more rugged topographic texture; elsewhere, wider spacing suggests gentler slopes and more open ground. The use of green shading adds visual depth, distinguishing wooded or vegetated areas and giving the sheet a layered, almost tactile quality that enhances both readability and aesthetic appeal.
As a work of federal cartography, this map reflects the US Geological Survey’s long commitment to systematic, nationwide mapping. The USGS quadrangle became an essential tool for planners, engineers, geologists, hikers, landowners, and public agencies, and this Tahlequah sheet belongs to that respected tradition. Its design is purposeful and elegant: contour lines, road classifications, water features, boundaries, and place names are arranged in a visual hierarchy that rewards close attention. Highways and smaller roads reveal patterns of movement through the landscape, while parks and recreation areas hint at how residents and visitors used the surrounding countryside. The result is both technical and quietly beautiful, a map made for accuracy that also invites contemplation.
Viewed today, the 1972 Tahlequah map offers a fascinating comparison with the modern region. It preserves a snapshot of settlement, infrastructure, and land cover before subsequent decades brought new development, expanded roads, and shifting patterns of residential and commercial use. For collectors, historians, or anyone with a connection to northeastern Oklahoma, it offers the rare pleasure of seeing a familiar place as it once was, rendered with the authority and precision of USGS mapping. Its appeal lies in this combination of local specificity and broader historical significance: a detailed topographic study of Tahlequah and its environs, and a quietly compelling artifact of American landscape documentation.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Tahlequah
- Grandview
- Illinois River
- Various roads and highways
- Contour lines indicating elevation
- Parks and recreation areas
- Streams and creeks
Historical context & cartographic details
- Produced by the US Geological Survey as a historical 1:24,000 topographical map.
- Dated 1972, with a 1974 imprint.
- Published by the US Geological Survey, known for geological and topographical mapping across the United States.
- Features standard USGS topographical design, including a clear legend for roads, water bodies, and other mapped features.
- Illustrates a varied landscape with notable elevation changes.
- Provides a snapshot of the geographical and infrastructural layout of the Tahlequah area in the early 1970s.
- Later changes may include urban development, road construction, and shifts in land use.
- Uses varying shades of green to distinguish land elevations and terrain types, creating a layered visual effect.
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 1974 from 1972 survey work, the US Geological Survey’s “Tahlequah” presents a precise and evocative portrait of northeastern Oklahoma at a particular moment in the late twentieth century. Centered on the city of Tahlequah, the map records the surrounding roads, waterways, settlement patterns, and relief with the disciplined clarity for which USGS quadrangles are prized. At a scale of 1:24,000, it captures the intimacy of local geography: bends in streams, subtle ridgelines, rural lanes, and the relationship between town and countryside. More than a utilitarian survey, it is a finely structured historical document, preserving the physical and infrastructural landscape before later phases of urban expansion, road improvement, and changing land use reshaped the area.
Tahlequah itself occupies a place of deep historical resonance in Oklahoma. Long associated with the Cherokee Nation and known as its capital, the town is far more than a point on the map; it is a cultural and political landmark embedded in the geography of the region. The USGS treatment allows the viewer to see Tahlequah not in isolation, but as part of a wider landscape of roads, creeks, ridges, and neighboring settlements such as Grandview. The map’s meticulous symbology gives form to the everyday terrain around the city, revealing how civic life, transportation routes, and natural features intertwined in the early 1970s. It is a record of place at human scale, rendered with scientific restraint.
The Illinois River is one of the most compelling natural features shown, its course helping to define the local landscape and recreational identity of the area. Around it, streams and creeks articulate the drainage patterns that give this portion of Oklahoma its character, while contour lines trace the rises and hollows of the terrain. In places where the contours gather closely, the map conveys sharper elevation changes and a more rugged topographic texture; elsewhere, wider spacing suggests gentler slopes and more open ground. The use of green shading adds visual depth, distinguishing wooded or vegetated areas and giving the sheet a layered, almost tactile quality that enhances both readability and aesthetic appeal.
As a work of federal cartography, this map reflects the US Geological Survey’s long commitment to systematic, nationwide mapping. The USGS quadrangle became an essential tool for planners, engineers, geologists, hikers, landowners, and public agencies, and this Tahlequah sheet belongs to that respected tradition. Its design is purposeful and elegant: contour lines, road classifications, water features, boundaries, and place names are arranged in a visual hierarchy that rewards close attention. Highways and smaller roads reveal patterns of movement through the landscape, while parks and recreation areas hint at how residents and visitors used the surrounding countryside. The result is both technical and quietly beautiful, a map made for accuracy that also invites contemplation.
Viewed today, the 1972 Tahlequah map offers a fascinating comparison with the modern region. It preserves a snapshot of settlement, infrastructure, and land cover before subsequent decades brought new development, expanded roads, and shifting patterns of residential and commercial use. For collectors, historians, or anyone with a connection to northeastern Oklahoma, it offers the rare pleasure of seeing a familiar place as it once was, rendered with the authority and precision of USGS mapping. Its appeal lies in this combination of local specificity and broader historical significance: a detailed topographic study of Tahlequah and its environs, and a quietly compelling artifact of American landscape documentation.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Tahlequah
- Grandview
- Illinois River
- Various roads and highways
- Contour lines indicating elevation
- Parks and recreation areas
- Streams and creeks
Historical context & cartographic details
- Produced by the US Geological Survey as a historical 1:24,000 topographical map.
- Dated 1972, with a 1974 imprint.
- Published by the US Geological Survey, known for geological and topographical mapping across the United States.
- Features standard USGS topographical design, including a clear legend for roads, water bodies, and other mapped features.
- Illustrates a varied landscape with notable elevation changes.
- Provides a snapshot of the geographical and infrastructural layout of the Tahlequah area in the early 1970s.
- Later changes may include urban development, road construction, and shifts in land use.
- Uses varying shades of green to distinguish land elevations and terrain types, creating a layered visual effect.
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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