Rare Old Map of Wichita, Kansas by USGS, 1943: Arkansas River, College Hill & Eastborough
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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Created in 1943 by the United States Geological Survey, “Wichita East” presents a finely detailed topographical portrait of Wichita, Kansas, at a...
Continue readingCreated in 1943 by the United States Geological Survey, “Wichita East” presents a finely detailed topographical portrait of Wichita, Kansas, at a pivotal moment in the city’s twentieth-century growth. Drawn at a scale of 1:31,680, the map balances urban precision with geographic breadth, capturing the eastern side of Wichita and its surrounding rural margins. Streets, rail lines, residential blocks, parks, and individual outlined structures reveal a city already expanding beyond its historic core. The Arkansas River anchors the broader landscape, while contour lines trace the subtle rises and depressions of south-central Kansas. As a wartime-era USGS sheet, it offers both practical clarity and historical atmosphere, recording the built environment and landforms of Wichita as they stood in the early 1940s.
The US Geological Survey brought to this map the disciplined visual language that made its topographic series indispensable to planners, engineers, travelers, and government agencies. Its clear grid system, measured road network, and carefully drawn elevation contours transform the city into an elegant field of information. Wichita’s famous rectilinear street pattern is visible across the sheet, with residential blocks arranged in orderly sequence and major thoroughfares cutting confidently through the urban fabric. Rail lines and stations speak to the city’s role as a transportation and manufacturing hub, while the mapping of schools, parks, and civic features gives the composition a distinctly lived-in character. The result is a cartographic document that is both analytical and evocative.
Wichita in 1943 was a city shaped by industry, aviation, agriculture, and wartime momentum. The map captures this energy in the relationship between established neighborhoods and outward-reaching development. College Hill appears as one of the city’s prominent residential districts, while Eastborough marks a refined suburban enclave on Wichita’s eastern edge. Delano, across the river from the older downtown area, evokes the city’s frontier and railroad past, and Riverside reflects a more leisurely landscape of parks, curving streets, and river proximity. Oaklawn and other surrounding settlements hint at the suburban and semi-rural growth that would accelerate after World War II. In these named places, the map preserves a layered portrait of metropolitan evolution.
The Arkansas River is one of the map’s defining natural features, threading through the Wichita landscape and shaping the placement of neighborhoods, bridges, parks, and transportation corridors. Its course provides a graceful counterpoint to the rigid street grid, reminding the viewer that urban order was imposed upon a much older geography of waterways, floodplains, and gentle prairie relief. Elevation contours reveal the modest but meaningful topographic variation of the region, marking hills, valleys, and drainage patterns that influenced road alignments and development. Parks and recreational areas appear as breathing spaces within the expanding city, offering glimpses of how Wichita residents engaged with the river and open land amid rapid urban change.
As a historical document, “Wichita East” is especially compelling for the way it records a city on the cusp of transformation. The Wichita shown here is neither a small prairie town nor the fully modern metropolitan area it would become in the postwar decades. Instead, it is a dynamic urban landscape of rail corridors, gridded neighborhoods, university grounds, industrial access routes, and emerging suburbs. Wichita State University and nearby institutions signal the city’s educational and civic ambitions, while the surrounding roads and rural tracts reveal room for expansion. For collectors of American city maps, Kansas history, or USGS topography, this sheet offers a richly textured view of place, progress, and landscape in 1943.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Wichita, Kansas
- Arkansas River
- College Hill neighborhood
- Eastborough
- Riverside
- Oaklawn
- Delano
- Wichita State University
- Several parks and recreational areas
- Various streets and roads, including major thoroughfares
- Rail lines and railway stations
- Residential blocks and grid patterns
- Elevated terrains with specific elevation markings
Historical context & cartographic details
- Map Title: Wichita East
- Publisher: Produced by the US Geological Survey (USGS)
- Date: Created in 1943
- Map Scale: 1:31,680
- Extra Notes: Historical topographical map showing the landscape and urban layout of Wichita as of 1943; features outline structures and landforms based on survey data.
- Cartographic Details: Employs a clear grid system for easy navigation, with elevation contours illustrating the topographic character of the area, including hills and valleys.
- Topographic Character: Provides insight into the geographical relief of the area, with considerable detail given to local landforms.
- Historical Significance: Reflects the urban and rural layout of Wichita during the early 20th century, including later patterns of urban expansion and development tied to population growth and economic change.
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.
Created in 1943 by the United States Geological Survey, “Wichita East” presents a finely detailed topographical portrait of Wichita, Kansas, at a pivotal moment in the city’s twentieth-century growth. Drawn at a scale of 1:31,680, the map balances urban precision with geographic breadth, capturing the eastern side of Wichita and its surrounding rural margins. Streets, rail lines, residential blocks, parks, and individual outlined structures reveal a city already expanding beyond its historic core. The Arkansas River anchors the broader landscape, while contour lines trace the subtle rises and depressions of south-central Kansas. As a wartime-era USGS sheet, it offers both practical clarity and historical atmosphere, recording the built environment and landforms of Wichita as they stood in the early 1940s.
The US Geological Survey brought to this map the disciplined visual language that made its topographic series indispensable to planners, engineers, travelers, and government agencies. Its clear grid system, measured road network, and carefully drawn elevation contours transform the city into an elegant field of information. Wichita’s famous rectilinear street pattern is visible across the sheet, with residential blocks arranged in orderly sequence and major thoroughfares cutting confidently through the urban fabric. Rail lines and stations speak to the city’s role as a transportation and manufacturing hub, while the mapping of schools, parks, and civic features gives the composition a distinctly lived-in character. The result is a cartographic document that is both analytical and evocative.
Wichita in 1943 was a city shaped by industry, aviation, agriculture, and wartime momentum. The map captures this energy in the relationship between established neighborhoods and outward-reaching development. College Hill appears as one of the city’s prominent residential districts, while Eastborough marks a refined suburban enclave on Wichita’s eastern edge. Delano, across the river from the older downtown area, evokes the city’s frontier and railroad past, and Riverside reflects a more leisurely landscape of parks, curving streets, and river proximity. Oaklawn and other surrounding settlements hint at the suburban and semi-rural growth that would accelerate after World War II. In these named places, the map preserves a layered portrait of metropolitan evolution.
The Arkansas River is one of the map’s defining natural features, threading through the Wichita landscape and shaping the placement of neighborhoods, bridges, parks, and transportation corridors. Its course provides a graceful counterpoint to the rigid street grid, reminding the viewer that urban order was imposed upon a much older geography of waterways, floodplains, and gentle prairie relief. Elevation contours reveal the modest but meaningful topographic variation of the region, marking hills, valleys, and drainage patterns that influenced road alignments and development. Parks and recreational areas appear as breathing spaces within the expanding city, offering glimpses of how Wichita residents engaged with the river and open land amid rapid urban change.
As a historical document, “Wichita East” is especially compelling for the way it records a city on the cusp of transformation. The Wichita shown here is neither a small prairie town nor the fully modern metropolitan area it would become in the postwar decades. Instead, it is a dynamic urban landscape of rail corridors, gridded neighborhoods, university grounds, industrial access routes, and emerging suburbs. Wichita State University and nearby institutions signal the city’s educational and civic ambitions, while the surrounding roads and rural tracts reveal room for expansion. For collectors of American city maps, Kansas history, or USGS topography, this sheet offers a richly textured view of place, progress, and landscape in 1943.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Wichita, Kansas
- Arkansas River
- College Hill neighborhood
- Eastborough
- Riverside
- Oaklawn
- Delano
- Wichita State University
- Several parks and recreational areas
- Various streets and roads, including major thoroughfares
- Rail lines and railway stations
- Residential blocks and grid patterns
- Elevated terrains with specific elevation markings
Historical context & cartographic details
- Map Title: Wichita East
- Publisher: Produced by the US Geological Survey (USGS)
- Date: Created in 1943
- Map Scale: 1:31,680
- Extra Notes: Historical topographical map showing the landscape and urban layout of Wichita as of 1943; features outline structures and landforms based on survey data.
- Cartographic Details: Employs a clear grid system for easy navigation, with elevation contours illustrating the topographic character of the area, including hills and valleys.
- Topographic Character: Provides insight into the geographical relief of the area, with considerable detail given to local landforms.
- Historical Significance: Reflects the urban and rural layout of Wichita during the early 20th century, including later patterns of urban expansion and development tied to population growth and economic change.
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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