Titled “Alexandria Bay,” this 1943 U.S. Geological Survey topographical map captures one of the most storied reaches of the St. Lawrence River: the Thousand Islands region of northern New York and adjacent Canadian waters. Drawn at the detailed scale of 1:31,680, it presents Alexandria Bay not merely as a resort village, but as the focal point of a complex riverine landscape of channels, islands, shorelines, roads, and rising ground. The map’s blue waterways, green vegetation shading, and finely spaced contour lines give the scene both technical precision and visual elegance. Created during the early 1940s, it preserves a geographical moment when infrastructure, tourism, river navigation, and rural settlement were all reshaping this celebrated borderland.

The U.S. Geological Survey, founded in 1879, brought scientific rigor and national ambition to American mapmaking, and this sheet reflects the agency’s mastery of topographic representation. USGS maps were designed for practical use—engineering, resource management, military planning, outdoor travel, and civic development—yet they often possess a quiet aesthetic beauty born from clarity and restraint. Here, contour lines articulate the land’s subtle undulations around the St. Lawrence, while roads and railways reveal the human framework laid across the terrain. Water is given particular prominence, as befits a landscape defined by bays, channels, and island passages. The result is a map that is both an instrument of measurement and a portrait of place.

Alexandria Bay appears within a geography made famous by the Thousand Islands, an archipelago whose intricate scattering of land and water has long drawn travelers, boaters, anglers, and summer residents. The map includes Hill Island and the Canadian town of Gananoque, situating the region within its broader international setting along the U.S.–Canada boundary. Lake of the Isles, Chaumont Bay, the Black River, and the mouth of the Chaumont River expand the sheet’s hydrological drama, emphasizing how interconnected waters define settlement and movement. Numerous unnamed islands and lakes invite close inspection, each small shape contributing to the complexity of navigation and shoreline life in this remarkable river corridor.

The topographic character of the map is especially compelling. Contours trace hills, valleys, and low ridges with a delicacy that reveals how elevation influences routes, drainage, and habitation. Around Alexandria Bay and the St. Lawrence shoreline, the land appears as a textured field of rises and depressions, suggesting the glacially shaped terrain that characterizes much of northern New York. Blue water bodies contrast crisply with green-shaded wooded or vegetated areas, helping the viewer distinguish river channels, bays, marshy margins, and upland ground. Roads and railways intersect the landscape in measured lines, showing the logistical connections that linked river communities to inland farms, markets, and regional transport networks.

As a 1943 document, the map offers a valuable snapshot of the Thousand Islands during a consequential decade. The early 1940s brought wartime mobilization, changing transportation needs, and continued modernization across rural America, even in places known primarily for scenic leisure. Features shown here may differ from the contemporary landscape, making the map an evocative record of earlier shorelines, road patterns, settlement footprints, and land use. Grass Point State Park and the surrounding riverfront speak to the region’s enduring recreational appeal, while the dense hydrography reflects its importance for navigation and cross-border movement. Elegant, precise, and historically resonant, this map transforms a beloved river landscape into a finely observed cartographic artifact.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Alexandria Bay
• Thousand Islands
• Hill Island
• Gananoque
• Lake of the Isles
• Grass Point State Park
• St. Lawrence River
• Chaumont Bay
• Black River
• Mouth of the Chaumont River
• Various unnamed islands
• Various unnamed lakes

Historical context & cartographic details

• Produced by the US Geological Survey, this historical topographical map is dated 1943.
• The map is drawn at a scale of 1:31,680 and shows Alexandria Bay, the Thousand Islands, and the surrounding region of New York.
• The USGS is a scientific agency of the U.S. government known for mapping and geological studies.
• USGS topographic maps have supported outdoor recreation, land use planning, resource management, and other practical uses.
• The map uses contour lines to show elevation changes, including hills and valleys.
• Water bodies are clearly marked in blue, while vegetation areas are shown with green shading.
• Roads and railways are shown intersecting the landscape.
• The map provides a snapshot of the area’s geography in the early 1940s, before later changes from urban development and infrastructure.

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.