Published in 1939 under the title “Astoria,” this US Geological Survey map presents the northwestern corner of Oregon at a revealing 1:62,500 scale. Centered on the coastal world around Gearhart and Astoria, it captures a landscape where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean in one of the most dynamic estuarine settings on the American West Coast. The map’s 20-foot contour interval gives unusual precision to low coastal terrain, distinguishing dunes, ridges, valleys, and subtle elevation changes that define Clatsop County. With its carefully differentiated colors, crisp hydrography, and systematic topographic language, the sheet records both natural form and human presence at a moment just before the transformative wartime and postwar decades.

The US Geological Survey, established in 1879, brought scientific rigor and national ambition to the mapping of American landscapes, and this Astoria sheet reflects that tradition beautifully. By the late 1930s, USGS topographic maps had become indispensable tools for engineers, planners, naturalists, land managers, and travelers, combining field survey, geodetic control, and standardized symbology. Here, the agency’s disciplined cartography makes the coastal plain legible: roads are ranked by line style, waterways are traced through marsh and forest, and elevations are modeled by fine contouring. The result is more than a navigational document; it is a measured portrait of a working landscape, produced during an era when federal mapping increasingly shaped conservation, infrastructure, and regional development.

Astoria itself occupies a commanding position near the mouth of the Columbia River, with Smith Point and Tongue Point marking prominent landforms along the water. The map conveys the geographical drama of this place: broad river channels, tidal margins, forested uplands, sandy coastal stretches, and the open edge of the Pacific. Gearhart appears within a distinctive littoral environment of dunes, creeks, and low-lying coastal terrain, a setting whose delicate forms are clarified by the tight contour interval. The coastline is rendered with notable care, emphasizing the meeting of surf, sand, and riverine influence. For anyone interested in coastal geomorphology, estuaries, or Oregon’s north coast, the sheet offers a richly detailed pre-modern baseline.

The infrastructure depicted on the map evokes the practical world of 1939 Clatsop County. Solid and dotted road systems show the circulation routes linking coastal settlements, riverfront sites, and inland tracts, while smaller creeks and tributaries indicate the constraints that water placed on travel and development. The area around Fort Stevens, later known widely as Fort Stevens State Park, hints at the strategic importance of the Columbia River entrance, long guarded because of its maritime and military significance. In the years soon after this map appeared, the region would be drawn into the heightened anxieties of World War II, making this depiction especially evocative as a record of the coast on the eve of dramatic change.

What makes “Astoria” particularly compelling is its balance of scientific restraint and visual richness. The map does not romanticize the Oregon coast, yet its precise topography reveals a landscape of remarkable beauty and complexity: sand dunes edging the Pacific, wooded rises behind the shore, river points projecting into the Columbia, and a lacework of streams crossing the terrain. As a historical document, it preserves patterns of settlement and land use before many later layers of development altered the region. As a cartographic work, it exemplifies the elegance of USGS design—clear, purposeful, and dense with information. It is a refined window into one of Oregon’s most storied coastal landscapes.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Gearhart, Oregon
• Astoria, Oregon
• Columbia River
• Pacific Ocean
• Smith Point
• Tongue Point
• Fort Stevens State Park
• Clatsop County, Oregon
• Various road systems, depicted by dotted and solid lines
• Sand dunes
• Creek and river systems, including unnamed tributaries
• Valleys, hills and ridges represented by contour lines

Historical context & cartographic details

• Produced by the US Geological Survey (USGS)
• Historical 1:62,500 topographical map
• Dated 1939, with a 1939 imprint
• Reflects the geographic understanding and infrastructure of the late 1930s
• Created by the USGS, an agency known for comprehensive mapping of natural resources, the environment and land management since 1879
• Uses contour lines to show elevation changes, with a contour interval of 20 feet
• Employs color to distinguish different terrains and map features
• Shows diverse coastal topography, including shorelines, rivers, forests and elevation changes
• Provides historical value for studying geographic, ecological, land-use and infrastructure changes over time
• Clear coastline delineation and detailed waterways enhance its usefulness for research and interpretation

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 18x24in (45x60cm) 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.