Published in 1996 using survey data from 1993, the US Geological Survey’s “Cornelius” presents a richly detailed topographical portrait of Davidson, Cornelius, Huntersville, and the surrounding western Piedmont of North Carolina. At a 1:24,000 scale, the map captures the region at a moment when the communities north of Charlotte were balancing small-town character with accelerating suburban growth. Davidson appears with the quiet structure of a college town, while Cornelius and Huntersville show the expanding networks of roads, residential districts, and commercial corridors that would increasingly define the Lake Norman area. The map’s title, “Cornelius,” anchors it firmly in place, yet its geographic reach tells a broader story of water, rail, settlement, and terrain.

The US Geological Survey, producer of this map, has long been one of America’s most respected scientific mapping agencies, combining field observation, aerial survey, and standardized cartographic practice to document the nation’s landscape. Its topographic quadrangles are prized not only for their precision but also for the way they preserve everyday geography: roads, streams, railways, public buildings, wooded areas, and the subtle rise and fall of land. Here, the familiar USGS visual language is especially effective. Green tones denote parks, woodland, and vegetated ground; pink identifies urbanized areas; blue traces Lake Norman, Clarke Creek, and smaller streams; and brown contour lines quietly model the undulating Piedmont surface beneath human development.

Lake Norman is the most prominent natural and cultural presence associated with this map, shaping settlement, recreation, transportation, and regional identity. Created in the 1960s by the damming of the Catawba River, the lake transformed the northern Mecklenburg and southern Iredell County landscape, drawing residential growth and leisure development to its shoreline. Though the map focuses on the Cornelius-Davidson area rather than the entire reservoir, the influence of the lake is unmistakable in the orientation of roads, neighborhoods, and open spaces. Nearby creeks and drainage lines, including Clarke Creek, reveal the smaller hydrological systems that feed the broader watershed, while coves, stream valleys, and low ridges show how water and topography guided patterns of habitation.

Davidson’s appearance on the map is particularly evocative, reflecting a community known for Davidson College and for a compact, historically rooted town center. The map records not only streets and built-up areas, but also the relationship between the town, its rail line, and the surrounding countryside. Railways, roads, and highways trace layers of mobility: older transportation corridors tied to agriculture and trade, and newer routes responding to suburban expansion and commuting patterns into Charlotte. Huntersville and Cornelius, meanwhile, appear as growing nodes within a rapidly changing metropolitan edge. Seen today, the map offers a valuable mid-1990s baseline, before further waves of development reshaped much of the Lake Norman corridor.

The topographic character of the western Piedmont is rendered with quiet sophistication through contour lines that distinguish hills, shallow valleys, stream courses, and gently rolling uplands. This is not a dramatic mountain map, but its subtle terrain is precisely what makes it compelling: elevation changes influence road alignments, drainage, green spaces, and the placement of neighborhoods. Parks and vegetated areas stand out amid expanding urban fabric, suggesting the interplay between planned development and preserved landscape. As a historical document, “Cornelius” captures a region in transition, where college-town traditions, lakefront growth, transportation infrastructure, and Piedmont landforms converge. It is a map of measured detail, but also of transformation, recording the geography of a community on the cusp of profound change.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Davidson, NC
• Lake Norman
• Clarke Creek
• Huntersville, NC
• Cornelius, NC
• Major roads and highways
• Railways
• Parks and green spaces
• Bodies of water and streams
• Residential areas and commercial districts
• Hills and valleys

Historical context & cartographic details

• Produced by the US Geological Survey (USGS)
• Historical 1:24,000 topographical map showing Davidson, North Carolina and surrounding areas
• Dated 1993 with a 1996 imprint
• Uses survey data from 1993
• Features Davidson, North Carolina, known for its proximity to Lake Norman and its college town atmosphere
• USGS is a scientific agency of the U.S. government known for accurate mapping and geological surveys
• Uses a standard USGS topographical color scheme, including green for elevation and relief and pink for urbanized areas
• Shows varying elevations and terrain features through contour lines
• Illustrates the western Piedmont region of North Carolina
• Provides a mid-1990s historical snapshot useful for understanding regional development and land use change

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.