Titled “Taylorsville,” this US Geological Survey map presents a richly detailed portrait of northeastern California as recorded in 1994 and published with a 1997 imprint. At the precise 1:24,000 scale favored by hikers, planners, foresters, and scientists, it centers on Taylorsville, a small Plumas County community set amid the broader mountain-and-valley landscape of the northern Sierra Nevada region. The map captures a moment in the 1990s when rural settlement, public forest management, roads, creeks, and recreational access were carefully documented in the standardized language of federal topography. Its value lies not only in orientation, but in the way it preserves the geographic character of Taylorsville and its surroundings before later changes in land use, infrastructure, and environmental management.

The map was produced by the United States Geological Survey, the federal agency whose quadrangle maps became the authoritative cartographic record of the American landscape. Founded in the nineteenth century to classify public lands and study natural resources, the USGS developed a visual language that is at once practical, scientific, and quietly elegant. On this Taylorsville sheet, contour lines, hydrographic symbols, roads, trails, forest boundaries, and place names work together with disciplined clarity. The result is a map designed for real use in the field, yet with an aesthetic appeal rooted in precision. Every line serves a purpose: to translate terrain into knowledge and make the complex relationship between settlement, water, elevation, and access legible at a glance.

Taylorsville sits in a landscape shaped by creeks, forested slopes, open valleys, and the subtle transitions between cultivated land and public wilderness. Indian Creek is among the important natural features associated with the area, threading through the terrain and helping define local drainage patterns, travel corridors, and historic settlement locations. The surrounding Plumas National Forest and Forest Service lands speak to the region’s long association with timber, grazing, recreation, and watershed protection. Contours reveal the changing elevation around the valley floor, while shaded relief and patterned land cover suggest a country of ridges, draws, wooded hillsides, and seasonal waterways. Lakes, creeks, refuge areas, and scattered trails add further texture to this finely observed California mountain landscape.

As a historical document, the map records Taylorsville and its neighboring lands at a particular late twentieth-century moment. Roads and highways show the practical framework of rural mobility, while hiking trails and access routes reveal how the surrounding public lands were opened to recreation, management, and stewardship. The presence of forest boundaries and refuge areas underscores the layered nature of the region, where private settlement, federal land administration, wildlife habitat, and outdoor use intersect. For collectors, this is part of the appeal: the map is not merely a representation of terrain, but a record of how that terrain was understood, named, measured, and governed in the 1990s. It quietly preserves the infrastructure and priorities of its time.

The cartographic style is classic USGS: clean, color-coded, and scientifically exacting. Brown contour lines articulate the rise and fall of the land; blue waterways and lakes draw the eye to the region’s hydrology; green forested areas emphasize the dominance of woodland and public land; and black and red symbols distinguish roads, structures, routes, and cultural features. At 1:24,000, the map offers an intimate view, detailed enough to distinguish minor paths and landscape forms while still presenting the broader relationship between Taylorsville, Indian Creek, Plumas National Forest, and surrounding rural terrain. Its beauty comes from restraint and accuracy, making it a compelling piece for anyone drawn to California history, mountain geography, or the refined visual language of American topographic mapping.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Taylorsville, California
• Indian Creek
• Plumas National Forest
• Sierra Valley
• Forest Service lands
• Lakes, not specifically named
• Creeks and rivers, not specifically named
• Various hiking trails
• Roads and highways in the surrounding area
• Refuge areas marked on the map

Historical context & cartographic details

• Historical 1:24,000 topographical map dated 1994 with a 1997 imprint
• Data was collected in 1994 and published in 1997
• Produced by the United States Geological Survey, or USGS
• The USGS provides reliable geographic and scientific mapping information for public use and land management
• Uses color contour lines and shading to show elevation and relief
• Roads, paths, and landmarks are clearly marked for navigation and outdoor use
• Depicts varied terrain and elevation changes, useful for understanding trails, land use, and access to natural resources
• Reflects the geographical and cultural landscape of the area in the 1990s, which may differ from present-day conditions

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.