Published in 1976 using survey data from 1948, the US Geological Survey’s “Lake Medora” presents a finely observed portrait of the northeastern Keweenaw Peninsula, where Michigan reaches into Lake Superior in a dramatic sweep of forested ridges, coves, and inland waters. At a scale of 1:24,000, the map captures Copper Harbor and its surrounding country with the precision for which USGS topographic mapping is renowned. Its contour lines reveal the region not as a flat lakeshore, but as a rugged, glacially shaped landscape of rising ground, narrow valleys, and rocky points. Lake Medora itself sits inland from the great lake, anchoring a terrain defined by water, elevation, and the long geological memory of copper-bearing stone.

The US Geological Survey, established in 1879, became the definitive cartographic authority for understanding the American landscape, and this map is a classic example of its mid-century topographic discipline. Rather than emphasizing ornament, the sheet derives its beauty from clarity: measured contours, carefully placed hydrography, road traces, trails, buildings, township divisions, and natural forms rendered with restrained authority. Such maps were practical instruments for engineers, geologists, foresters, planners, and travelers, yet they also possess a quiet aesthetic power. Every line records observation; every symbol translates the terrain into a readable system. In the “Lake Medora” quadrangle, the USGS turns a remote and richly textured corner of Michigan into an intelligible landscape of slopes, shorelines, and human passage.

Copper Harbor, one of the principal places shown, brings a deep historical resonance to the map. Located near the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula, it is associated with the copper boom that shaped the region during the nineteenth century, when miners, prospectors, merchants, and shipping interests were drawn to one of North America’s great native copper districts. By the time of the 1948 survey, the area had already passed through eras of extraction, settlement, and gradual reinvention as a scenic destination. The map preserves this transitional moment: roads and pathways thread through a landscape still dominated by woods, water, and relief. Nearby Eagle Harbor, Grant Township, and the small lakes scattered inland suggest a lived geography that is both remote and connected.

The presence of Lake Superior gives the map its grandest geographic frame. Along the shoreline, named features such as Upper Point, Point Isabelle, and Deer Point mark the meeting of land and inland sea, where weather, waves, and bedrock have shaped a famously dramatic coast. Inland, Lake Medora and Barnum Lake are joined by smaller ponds, streams, and marshy corridors, their forms set against the rhythm of contour lines climbing toward higher ground. Mount Bohemia, now widely associated with steep terrain and winter recreation, is part of the same bold topographic character visible here. The map’s fine-grained depiction of hills, valleys, and drainage patterns makes the region’s glacial and volcanic inheritance immediately legible.

As a historical document, “Lake Medora” captures more than location; it records land use, access, and settlement patterns at a particular mid-twentieth-century moment. Roads, trails, and human-made structures show how people moved through and occupied the peninsula, while the surrounding forests, lakes, and shorelines reveal the persistent dominance of natural systems. Some routes may have shifted, shorelines altered subtly, and communities evolved, but the map preserves the geography from which those changes unfolded. Its topographic language is especially valuable in a place where elevation, water, and geology are inseparable from history. For collectors, it offers a compelling union of scientific precision and regional identity: Copper Harbor country rendered with the exacting grace of the USGS.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Copper Harbor
• Eagle Harbor
• Lake Medora
• Lake Superior
• Grant Township
• Mount Bohemia
• Barnum Lake
• Upper Point
• Point Isabelle
• Deer Point
• Small lakes and ponds throughout the region
• Roads, trails and pathways
• Streams and rivers

Historical context & cartographic details

• Historical 1:24,000 topographical map produced by the US Geological Survey.
• Shows Copper Harbor, Michigan, and the surrounding Lake Medora region.
• Based on survey data from 1948, with a 1976 imprint.
• Published by the US Geological Survey, established in 1879 and known for mapping and geological survey work across the United States.
• Copper Harbor is a historic mining area on the Keweenaw Peninsula, known for its geology, scenery and regional history.
• Features detailed contour lines showing elevation changes, hills and valleys.
• Includes water bodies, roads, trails, pathways and human-made structures.
• Captures mid-20th-century land use and settlement patterns in the region.

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.