Titled “Lenexa,” this United States Geological Survey topographic map was published in 1954 using geographic data from 1935, offering a carefully measured view of what is now one of the most dynamic suburban landscapes in metropolitan Kansas City. Centered on the Overland Park and Lenexa area, the map captures a moment before the full force of postwar expansion transformed Johnson County. Its 1:24,000 scale allows for a remarkably intimate reading of the terrain: roads, railways, waterways, wooded tracts, small lakes, and settlement patterns appear in precise relation to the rolling Kansas landscape. The result is both a scientific document and a historical portrait, preserving the region at the threshold between rural character and modern suburban growth.

The US Geological Survey, founded in 1879, became the authoritative American institution for mapping the nation’s landforms, resources, and settlement patterns. Its topographic quadrangles were created not merely as reference tools, but as instruments of national knowledge, supporting infrastructure, land management, engineering, agriculture, and defense. In “Lenexa,” the USGS’s disciplined cartographic language is especially effective: every line is purposeful, every symbol part of a larger system of observation. The map embodies the agency’s mid-twentieth-century commitment to accuracy, clarity, and standardized design. For collectors, this connection to the USGS gives the map enduring appeal, placing it within one of the most respected cartographic traditions in American history.

The visual character of the map is defined by its intricate contour lines, which describe the gentle but unmistakable undulations of northeastern Kansas. Hills, shallow valleys, drainage corridors, and subtle ridgelines emerge through the measured spacing of the contours, while the shaded relief effect enhances the sense of terrain morphology. This is not a landscape of dramatic peaks, but one of nuanced elevation: a rolling prairie environment shaped by water, soil, and settlement. Roads and railways, shown through solid and dashed linework, cut across this terrain with geometric purpose, revealing how transportation networks were beginning to organize the region. Unnamed lakes, patches of woodland, and open ground lend the map a quiet richness.

Overland Park appears here in an earlier phase of its history, before its rise as a major suburban center in the Kansas City metropolitan area. The map preserves the framework from which later development would grow: roads that would become more heavily traveled, open lands that would be subdivided, and small communities that would become absorbed into a broader urban fabric. Lenexa, Oxford, and neighboring localities are situated amid a still-varied landscape of fields, wooded areas, and water features. Viewed today, the map becomes a compelling record of transition, showing Johnson County before highways, commercial corridors, and residential expansion fully reshaped the area’s identity.

Beyond its local importance, “Lenexa” speaks to a larger American story: the mid-century transformation of agricultural and semi-rural districts into interconnected suburban landscapes. The topography itself helps explain the logic of settlement, as roads follow workable grades, rail lines connect practical corridors, and communities occupy favorable ground within the rolling terrain. Places such as Cleveland Hock, Oxford, Overland Park, and Lenexa are woven into a network of physical geography and human movement. The unnamed lakes and woodlands add texture, reminding the viewer that this was never an empty grid awaiting development, but a living landscape of slopes, drainage, vegetation, and habitation. As a historical map, it offers both elegance and insight.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Overland Park
• Lenexa
• Cleveland Hock
• Oxford
• Various unnamed lakes and woodlands
• Roads and railways as indicated by solid and dashed lines
• Observed topographic features including hills and valleys

Historical context & cartographic details

• Produced by the US Geological Survey (USGS).
• Historical 1:24,000 topographical map using data from 1935 and published in 1954.
• Created by the US Geological Survey, a respected agency known for authoritative geographic data and cartographic products.
• Employs contour lines and shaded relief to convey elevation changes and terrain morphology.
• Provides a mid-20th-century snapshot of the surrounding area, highlighting changes in land use and development over time.
• Features intricate contour linework characteristic of USGS topographical maps from this period.

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.