{"product_id":"old-map-of-biddeford-pool-maine-by-usgs-1956-saco-bay-kennebunkport","title":"Old Map of Biddeford Pool, Maine by USGS, 1956 – Saco Bay \u0026 Kennebunkport","description":"\u003cp\u003eTitled “Biddeford Pool,” this 1:24,000-scale US Geological Survey topographical map captures a finely observed portion of the Maine coast as surveyed in 1956 and published with a 1967 imprint. Centered on the distinctive coastal community of Biddeford Pool, the map extends across the surrounding shorelines, waterways, islands, beaches, and settlements that define this stretch of southern Maine. Saco Bay and the Atlantic Ocean dominate the composition, their cool blue expanses contrasting with the carefully contoured landforms inland. The result is both a technical document and a coastal portrait: a mid-century record of a place shaped by tides, dunes, river mouths, summer communities, working waterfronts, and the enduring drama of the Maine shoreline.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe map was produced by the United States Geological Survey, whose topographic quadrangles became essential instruments of American geography, engineering, conservation, and public planning. By the mid-twentieth century, the USGS had refined a cartographic language that balanced scientific precision with remarkable visual clarity: roads, trails, rivers, marshes, shorelines, and elevation were rendered in a standardized yet elegant system of symbols and color. In “Biddeford Pool,” that discipline is especially effective, because the landscape is intricate and amphibious, with land and sea constantly interlocking. The mapmaker’s task was not merely to locate towns and roads, but to interpret a coastal environment where beaches, tidal channels, riverbanks, and low uplands form a subtle, shifting terrain.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBiddeford Pool itself is the natural focal point, a coastal enclave long valued for its scenic harbor, ocean outlooks, and recreational appeal. Nearby Hills Beach and North Biddeford appear within the broader pattern of settlement, while Biddeford and the Saco River anchor the inland and estuarine geography. To the south and west, the map reaches toward Kennebunkport and Cape Porpoise, names deeply associated with Maine’s maritime identity, fishing traditions, summer colonies, and rocky Atlantic coast. Saco Bay opens broadly across the sheet, emphasizing the exposure of this coast to weather, tides, and ocean movement. Unnamed islands, dune systems, beaches, and small paths add texture, suggesting a landscape experienced by boaters, walkers, residents, and seasonal visitors alike.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe design is especially compelling for its vibrant treatment of water and its precise topographic detail. Blue is used not simply as decoration, but as a structural element, organizing the eye around Saco Bay, the Atlantic Ocean, tidal reaches, and river courses. Against this aquatic field, contour lines at 20-foot intervals articulate the low coastal relief with quiet authority. These contours reveal how modest rises, depressions, dunes, and shore-adjacent uplands shape the human and natural geography of the area. In a coastal region where a few feet of elevation can determine drainage, visibility, development, and vulnerability to storms, the map’s contouring offers a rich understanding of terrain that might otherwise appear deceptively gentle.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a historical record, “Biddeford Pool” preserves the coast at a revealing moment between older maritime patterns and later waves of environmental awareness, development pressure, and recreational transformation. Since the 1950s and 1960s, southern Maine’s shore communities have seen changes in land use, seasonal habitation, conservation priorities, transportation, and coastal ecology. Dunes, beaches, marshes, and river mouths are dynamic by nature, and the map allows the viewer to contemplate both the permanence and instability of the shoreline. It records Biddeford Pool, Saco Bay, and their neighboring communities before many modern alterations, making visible the mid-century relationship between settlement and landscape. The map’s beauty lies in that dual character: exacting geographic information and a contemplative image of a beloved Maine coast.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCities, towns and places on this map\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBiddeford Pool\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSaco Bay\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSaco River\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCape Porpoise\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNorth Biddeford\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHills Beach\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKennebunkport\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBiddeford\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eVarious unnamed islands\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAtlantic Ocean\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCoastal features, including dunes and beaches\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePaths and trails indicated but not named\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistorical context \u0026amp; cartographic details\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHistorical 1:24,000 topographical map dated 1956 with a 1967 imprint\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePublished by the US Geological Survey, known for detailed and reliable geographic mapping\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFeatures a vibrant blue color scheme to represent water bodies\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUses distinct colors to differentiate land and water features\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIncludes topographic contour lines to show elevation and terrain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eContour intervals are 20 feet, showing both submerged and elevated coastal terrain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDocuments an area that has experienced development and environmental change since the mid-20th century\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReflects changes affecting local ecology and community structures over time\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=\"\/fr\/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=\"\/fr\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003eget in touch\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe model in the listing images is holding the 16x20in (40x50cm) 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=\"\/fr\/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=\"\/fr\/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":59906571469184,"sku":null,"price":358.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":59906571501952,"sku":null,"price":963.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Framed canvas map","offer_id":59906571534720,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Map","offer_id":59906571567488,"sku":null,"price":358.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":59906571600256,"sku":null,"price":963.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Framed canvas 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