Published in 1953 from 1950 survey work, the USGS topographical sheet titled “Covington” captures a richly detailed mid-century portrait of the Ohio River metropolis where Cincinnati, Ohio, and Covington, Kentucky, face one another across one of America’s great inland waterways. At 1:24,000 scale, the map offers a precise yet elegant view of streets, rail corridors, bridges, neighborhoods, parks, and industrial edges at a moment when the riverfront still anchored the region’s commercial life. The Ohio River dominates the composition, not merely as a boundary between states, but as the historical engine of settlement, trade, and transport. Around it, the urban fabric of Cincinnati and Covington appears tightly woven into the surrounding hills and valleys.

The United States Geological Survey brought to this map the clarity and discipline for which its quadrangles are renowned. Founded in the nineteenth century to systematically chart the nation’s geology, water, and terrain, the USGS became the authoritative voice of American topography, and this sheet reflects that scientific tradition. Contour lines at 10-foot intervals give the landscape an unusually fine-grained legibility, revealing subtle rises, ravines, slopes, and terraces that shaped where roads, railways, and neighborhoods could develop. The cartography is practical but handsome: a balanced language of contour, symbol, and color that transforms the industrial cityscape into a readable terrain, where human settlement and natural form are shown as inseparable parts of the same landscape.

Covington itself appears as a historically important Kentucky city, its identity long shaped by its proximity to Cincinnati and its access to riverborne commerce. In the early 1950s, the city still bore the imprint of nineteenth- and early twentieth-century industry: gridded streets, transportation arteries, and working districts pressed close to the Ohio River. The map suggests a community bound to bridges, rail lines, and waterfront activity, yet also framed by the distinctive topography of northern Kentucky. Rising ground and incised valleys surround the denser urban core, creating a visual contrast between the flat, engineered spaces of the riverfront and the more dramatic contours beyond. This tension between city and slope gives the sheet much of its character.

Across the river, Cincinnati occupies a commanding position as one of the Ohio Valley’s great economic and cultural centers. The map shows the city not in abstraction, but as a layered urban organism: streets, parks, railways, industrial zones, and neighborhoods set within a basin of hills and river terraces. The Ohio River, curving through the sheet, underscores Cincinnati’s historic role as a gateway between North and South, East and West. By 1950, the city had already experienced more than a century of growth driven by manufacturing, migration, and commerce. This map preserves that particular moment before later waves of highway expansion, suburban growth, and riverfront redevelopment altered the region’s appearance and movement patterns.

One of the most compelling qualities of “Covington” is the way its relief shading and contours reveal the Cincinnati-Covington landscape as both urban and deeply topographic. The alternating valleys and elevated ridges are not background scenery; they are active forces that guided settlement, constrained streets, and determined routes for rail and road. Parks and public spaces appear amid the built environment, while transport lines trace efficient paths through challenging terrain. For collectors, historians, and admirers of American city maps, this sheet offers more than geographic information: it is a poised and authoritative snapshot of a river city region at mid-century, balancing industrial energy, civic density, and the sculptural terrain of the Ohio Valley.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Covington, Kentucky
• Cincinnati, Ohio
• Ohio River
• Streets and roads within Covington and Cincinnati
• Neighboring neighborhoods and districts
• Parks and public spaces
• Railways and transportation routes
• Contoured hills and valleys surrounding the urban areas
• Potential landmarks or economic zones within the cities

Historical context & cartographic details

• USGS topographical map titled Covington
• Created in 1950 and published in 1953
• Historical 1:24,000 topographical map covering Cincinnati, Ohio; Covington, Kentucky; and surrounding areas
• Produced by the US Geological Survey, known for authoritative and scientifically accurate topographical surveys
• Shows Covington as an urban center with historical significance tied to its industrial past and position across the river from Cincinnati
• Shows Cincinnati as a culturally significant city and key regional economic hub
• Uses colorful relief shading to depict elevations and depressions
• Includes clearly marked 10-foot contour intervals for detailed representation of height changes
• Illustrates hilly terrain with alternating valleys and elevations characteristic of the region
• Captures the geographical layout and urban development of Covington and Cincinnati during the early 1950s
• Reflects potential later changes including urban sprawl, infrastructure development, and environmental alterations along the riverfront

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.