Published in 1918, the US Geological Survey’s “Cedar Creek” presents a finely observed 1:62,500 topographical portrait of coastal Delaware, centered on Milton and the surrounding reaches of Cedar Creek. The map belongs to the great USGS tradition of systematic national mapping, in which contour lines, hydrography, roads, railways, settlements, and land cover were brought together into a coherent visual record. Here, the quiet geography of Sussex County is rendered with unusual clarity: tidal waterways, low-lying coastal terrain, inland routes, and the margins of Delaware Bay appear as part of one carefully measured landscape. More than a navigational aid, the map captures a region at a particular historical moment, before later development reshaped shorelines, transportation corridors, and settlement patterns.

The US Geological Survey, founded in 1879, became one of the most important scientific mapping institutions in the United States, and this map demonstrates its disciplined cartographic language. The greenish background, delicate contouring, and differentiated colors for land and water create a practical yet elegant composition. Elevation changes in this coastal terrain are subtle, making the contour work especially significant: the lines reveal the gentle undulations, shallow valleys, and low ridges that define the inland landscape. Roads and railways are integrated with natural features rather than overwhelming them, giving the map a balanced, almost architectural structure. The result is a beautifully legible topographic document, designed for study, planning, travel, and an informed understanding of place.

Milton, the principal populated place shown, anchors the map both geographically and historically. By 1918, Milton was an established Delaware town with connections to agriculture, milling, shipbuilding, and coastal trade, its location near waterways giving it enduring regional importance. Around it, the map records smaller communities, roads, trails, wooded tracts, and open country, suggesting a landscape still shaped by rural movement and local exchange. The presence of railways is particularly evocative, marking the era’s reliance on rail transport before the full dominance of automobile highways. These transportation lines link inland settlement with the broader Delmarva Peninsula, while the surrounding creeks and wetlands remind the viewer that water remained central to the area’s economy, ecology, and identity.

Toward the east, the map opens onto the distinctive world of Delaware Bay, with Conch Beach, Cedar Beach, and Primehook Neck marking the transition from inland settlement to tidal coast. These names evoke a shoreline of marshes, beaches, inlets, and shifting habitats, where land and water meet in intricate patterns. Primehook Neck, in particular, suggests the ecological richness of the bay margin: low coastal plains, wetlands, and tidal channels that have long supported wildlife, fishing, and seasonal human activity. The map’s color distinctions and hydrographic detail make these features especially readable, showing rivers, lakes, and watery margins as living elements of the terrain rather than mere boundaries. It is a compelling view of coastal Delaware before a century of environmental change.

As a historical document, “Cedar Creek” is valuable because it preserves the geography of 1918 with scientific precision and quiet visual grace. Many of the places shown—Milton, Cedar Creek, nearby beaches, roads, railways, parks, wooded areas, and open tracts—have since been altered by development, changing land use, coastal processes, and demographic growth. The map therefore invites comparison between past and present: vanished routes, expanded towns, modified shorelines, and transformed rural landscapes can all be traced from this topographic foundation. Its appeal lies not only in its data, but in its atmosphere: a measured, richly detailed image of Delaware’s bay country at a moment when local communities, waterways, and transportation networks formed the essential structure of everyday life.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Milton
• Cedar Creek
• Trails
• Delaware Bay
• Conch Beach
• Cedar Beach
• Primehook Neck
• Parks
• Roads
• Railways
• Rivers
• Valleys
• Lakes
• Forested areas

Historical context & cartographic details

• Historical 1:62,500 topographical map produced in 1918
• Published by the US Geological Survey (USGS)
• Features a greenish background with detailed contour lines indicating elevation changes
• Uses color to differentiate land types and water bodies
• Shows elevations through contour lines and shading
• Provides a detailed representation of the area’s terrain and topographic character
• Many geographic features and population centers may have changed since 1918 due to urban development, environmental change, and shifting demographic patterns
• Distinct color gradients and detailed layout reflect the USGS commitment to clear, informative topographic mapping

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.