{"product_id":"old-map-of-portland-maine-by-usgs-1914-casco-bay-cape-elizabeth-westbrook","title":"Old Map of Portland, Maine by USGS, 1914 – Casco Bay, Cape Elizabeth \u0026 Westbrook","description":"\u003cp\u003eTitled simply “Portland,” this 1914 U.S. Geological Survey map presents Maine’s principal seaport and its surrounding countryside at a revealing 1:48,000 topographical scale. Issued under the directorship of George Otis Smith, the sheet belongs to the disciplined, data-rich tradition of early twentieth-century federal cartography, when the USGS was refining a national visual language for landform, settlement, transport, and water. Its “Advance” designation gives it particular interest, suggesting a preliminary or early state intended to circulate useful geographic intelligence promptly. Portland appears here not merely as a city, but as the hub of a wider coastal landscape: coves, islands, tidal waters, rail lines, roads, and rural townships all arranged with the quiet authority of scientific survey.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe map’s design is classic USGS: restrained, legible, and elegant, with muted tones separating land, water, relief, and human infrastructure. Contour lines thread across the sheet, describing the rise and fall of hills, valleys, headlands, and inland ridges with a precision that rewards close study. Around Portland, the contours help reveal the subtle topographic setting of the city—its peninsular form, the lowlands near Back Cove, and the changing elevations toward Westbrook, Gorham, Scarborough, Deering, and Cape Elizabeth. Rather than dramatizing the landscape, the map measures it, translating coastal Maine into a rational system of line and symbol. The result is both practical and quietly beautiful, a portrait of place shaped by geology, water, and settlement.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePortland’s maritime geography is one of the sheet’s great pleasures. Casco Bay opens to the east with its constellation of islands and navigational landmarks, including Peaks Island, Mackworth Island, Fort Gorges, Ram Island, and Treat Island. These features speak to the city’s long relationship with the sea: defense, commerce, fishing, ferry routes, and summer resort culture all depended on the intricate geography of the bay. Fort Gorges, isolated in the harbor, recalls nineteenth-century coastal defense, while Peaks Island hints at the recreational and residential expansion of the era. Southward, Cape Elizabeth and Prouts Neck frame the transition from harbor to open Atlantic, where rocky promontories, beaches, and tidal inlets defined both daily life and coastal identity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInland and to the south, the map captures a region in motion. Roads and railways bind Portland to neighboring communities, with the Portland and Rochester Railroad among the transport corridors that shaped trade and travel. Westbrook appears as an important industrial neighbor, tied historically to paper, mills, and waterpower, while Gorham and Scarborough represent the agricultural and village landscapes that still surrounded the growing urban center in 1914. The Saco River and Saco Bay anchor the southern portion of the mapped area, linking freshwater drainage to a broader coastal system. Viewed today, the sheet preserves a moment before many later suburban expansions, highway projects, and shifts in land use transformed the Portland metropolitan landscape.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGeorge Otis Smith’s association with the map adds an important institutional dimension. A Maine-born geologist who served as Director of the U.S. Geological Survey from 1907 to 1930, Smith presided over an era in which federal mapping became increasingly systematic, scientific, and indispensable to public administration. Under his leadership, USGS topographic sheets provided a common geographic framework for engineering, resource study, navigation, planning, and education. This “Portland” sheet reflects that ambition: it is local in subject, but national in method. Its careful depiction of contours, shorelines, settlements, railways, and waterways captures the geography of southern Maine as understood in 1914, offering a richly layered record of a coastal city poised between maritime tradition and modern expansion.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eCities, towns and places on this map\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePortland\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBack Cove\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSaco Bay\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRam Island\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProuts Neck\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePeaks Island\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWestbrook\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGorham\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eScarborough\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDeering\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCape Elizabeth\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCasco Bay\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFort Gorges\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMackworth Island\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTreat Island\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSaco River\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eVarious roads and railways, including the Portland and Rochester Railroad\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eHistorical context \u0026amp; cartographic details\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePublished by the U.S. Geological Survey\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMapmaker: George Otis Smith, Director of the U.S. Geological Survey in 1914\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCreated in 1914\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMarked as an “Advance” edition\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHistorical 1:48,000 topographical scale\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFeatures contour lines indicating elevation changes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUses a classic muted color palette typical of early 20th-century maps\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUtilizes Geological Survey mapping conventions\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShows topographic variation including hills, valleys, and water bodies\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReflects the geography of the Portland, Maine area as understood in 1914\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDocuments the area before later urban development and changes in land use\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLooking for a particular place?\u003c\/strong\u003e Review the detailed images to confirm that the town, landmark or feature you have in mind appears on the map. If you are unsure, \u003ca target=\"”_blank”\" href=\"\/de\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003eask our workshop to check before you order\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDetailed 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 50in (125cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please \u003ca href=\"\/de\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003eget in touch\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe model in the listing images is holding the 18x24in (45x60cm) version of this map.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhere personalisation is available, you can add a short title or dedication, mark one meaningful place, or request one considered visual detail. \u003ca target=\"”_blank”\" href=\"\/de\/pages\/map-personalisation\"\u003eSee personalised map examples\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEvery 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWith 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 \u003ca target=\"”_blank”\" href=\"\/de\/collections\/all-old-vintage-antique-maps\"\u003erare old and vintage maps\u003c\/a\u003e to discover another place, period or style.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Unique Maps Co.","offers":[{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Map","offer_id":58802414059904,"sku":null,"price":362.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":58802414092672,"sku":null,"price":975.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Framed canvas map","offer_id":58802414125440,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Map","offer_id":58802414158208,"sku":null,"price":362.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":58802414190976,"sku":null,"price":975.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Framed canvas map","offer_id":58802414223744,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"16x20in (40x50cm) \/ Map","offer_id":58802414256512,"sku":null,"price":585.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"16x20in (40x50cm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":58802414289280,"sku":null,"price":1300.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"16x20in (40x50cm) \/ Framed canvas map","offer_id":58802414322048,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"18x24in (45x60cm) \/ Map","offer_id":58802414354816,"sku":null,"price":678.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"18x24in (45x60cm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":58802414387584,"sku":null,"price":1485.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"18x24in (45x60cm) \/ Framed canvas map","offer_id":58802414420352,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"20x28in (50x70cm) \/ Map","offer_id":58802414453120,"sku":null,"price":771.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"20x28in (50x70cm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":58802414485888,"sku":null,"price":2228.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"20x28in (50x70cm) \/ Framed canvas map","offer_id":58802414518656,"sku":null,"price":2506.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"A2 (420x594mm) \/ Map","offer_id":58802414551424,"sku":null,"price":678.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"A2 (420x594mm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":58802414584192,"sku":null,"price":1485.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"A2 (420x594mm) \/ Framed canvas map","offer_id":58802414616960,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"24x30in (60x75cm) \/ Map","offer_id":58802414649728,"sku":null,"price":817.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"24x30in (60x75cm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":58802414682496,"sku":null,"price":2228.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"24x30in (60x75cm) \/ Framed canvas map","offer_id":58802414715264,"sku":null,"price":2506.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"A1 (594x841mm) \/ Map","offer_id":58802414748032,"sku":null,"price":817.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"A1 (594x841mm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":58802414780800,"sku":null,"price":2228.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"A1 (594x841mm) \/ Framed canvas map","offer_id":58802414813568,"sku":null,"price":2506.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"28x40in (70x100cm) \/ Map","offer_id":58802414846336,"sku":null,"price":1068.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"28x40in (70x100cm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":58802414879104,"sku":null,"price":3063.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"28x40in (70x100cm) \/ Framed canvas map","offer_id":58802414911872,"sku":null,"price":3063.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"32x40in (80x100cm) \/ Map","offer_id":58802414944640,"sku":null,"price":1068.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"32x40in (80x100cm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":58802414977408,"sku":null,"price":3063.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"32x40in (80x100cm) \/ Framed canvas map","offer_id":58802415010176,"sku":null,"price":3063.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"A0 (841x1189mm) \/ Map","offer_id":58802415042944,"sku":null,"price":1532.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"A0 (841x1189mm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":58802415075712,"sku":null,"price":7100.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"A0 (841x1189mm) \/ Framed canvas map","offer_id":58802415108480,"sku":null,"price":6682.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"40x50in (100x127cm) \/ Map","offer_id":58802415141248,"sku":null,"price":2320.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"40x50in (100x127cm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":58802415174016,"sku":null,"price":8631.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"40x50in (100x127cm) \/ Framed canvas map","offer_id":58802415206784,"sku":null,"price":8120.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"48x60in (120x150cm) \/ Map","offer_id":58802415239552,"sku":null,"price":2831.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"48x60in (120x150cm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":58802415272320,"sku":null,"price":12992.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"48x60in (120x150cm) \/ Framed canvas map","offer_id":58802415305088,"sku":null,"price":12064.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"56x70in (142x178cm) \/ Map","offer_id":58802415337856,"sku":null,"price":5244.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"56x70in (142x178cm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":58802415370624,"sku":null,"price":18328.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"56x70in (142x178cm) \/ Framed canvas map","offer_id":58802415403392,"sku":null,"price":17400.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/0344\/8638\/files\/file_28570aaf-584a-48f4-9f4e-2ea14154dc38.jpg?v=1787947806","url":"https:\/\/uniquemaps.co\/de\/products\/old-map-of-portland-maine-by-usgs-1914-casco-bay-cape-elizabeth-westbrook","provider":"The Unique Maps Co.","version":"1.0","type":"link"}