Published in 1961 from survey work completed in 1958, the US Geological Survey’s “Ely, Nevada” captures a high-desert city and its mountainous surroundings at a telling mid-century moment. Drawn at the precise 1:24,000 scale, the map offers an intimate view of Ely, where settlement, roads, drainage, and relief are woven into the austere terrain of eastern Nevada. The title is modest, but the landscape it records is richly varied: a basin-and-range world of ridges, valleys, wooded slopes, and arid passages. Its vibrant green tones mark vegetation and forested ground, while fine contouring articulates the rise and fall of the land with a sculptural clarity. The result is both a practical scientific document and a beautifully disciplined portrait of place.

The US Geological Survey brought to this map nearly a century of federal cartographic expertise, grounded in the systematic measurement of American landscapes. By the late 1950s, USGS topographic mapping had become essential to planners, engineers, geologists, foresters, miners, and travelers alike, particularly in regions where landforms shaped every aspect of movement and settlement. Around Ely, elevation is not background scenery but the governing structure of the map. Contour lines describe the shoulders of mountains, the tapering draws, and the valley floors that frame the town. The precision of the sheet reflects the USGS mission at its best: transforming remote and rugged terrain into legible, navigable knowledge without sacrificing the complexity of the land itself.

Ely’s setting gives the map its historical charge. Founded as a stagecoach stop and later transformed by copper mining and railroad development, the town became one of eastern Nevada’s important industrial and transportation centers. By the time this survey was made in 1958, the region was navigating the postwar era, when western infrastructure, resource extraction, highways, and public land management were all expanding in scope. The map preserves that moment before later growth and changing land use reshaped the area. Roads and trails trace the human effort to cross difficult country, while the topography reminds the viewer that Ely’s fortunes were always tied to the minerals, forests, passes, and basins around it.

Humboldt National Forest appears as one of the defining presences in the surrounding landscape, bringing wooded uplands and managed public lands into the map’s visual and historical field. The green areas are not merely decorative; they indicate ecological contrast within a region often imagined as dry and spare. Around Ely, forested slopes, mountain drainages, and open valleys create a varied terrain that supported grazing, timber use, mining logistics, recreation, and wildlife habitat. The map’s careful notation of roads, trails, and natural features hints at the layered uses of the land. It is a portrait of a working western landscape, where national forest, town, mineral country, and backcountry routes meet within a compact topographic frame.

What makes this map especially compelling is the marriage of utility and atmosphere. The contour lines give the country around Ely a palpable three-dimensionality, allowing the eye to climb ridges, descend into valleys, and follow the natural corridors that guide roads and settlement. Its restrained USGS design—clear lettering, measured symbols, and strong tonal contrasts—creates an elegant order from rugged terrain. For collectors drawn to Nevada, mining history, federal cartography, or the American West after World War II, “Ely, Nevada” is more than a location map. It is a finely observed record of a high desert community at the edge of mountains and forest, fixed at a precise moment in the long evolution of the Great Basin.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Ely
• Humboldt National Forest
• Various roadways and trails
• Peaks and valleys indicated by contour lines
• Nearby water features, such as rivers and lakes

Historical context & cartographic details

• Produced by the US Geological Survey (USGS)
• Based on survey data collected in 1958 and published in 1961
• Historical 1:24,000 topographical map showing detailed geological and landform data for Ely and the surrounding area
• Uses vibrant green hues to indicate vegetation and terrain
• Contour lines represent elevation changes and emphasize the mountainous character of the region
• Shows a mix of mountainous terrain, valleys, and wooded areas
• Reflects the geographical and infrastructural state of Ely and the surrounding region in the late 1950s
• Documents a period of post-World War II development in Nevada
• Provides a historical record of the area before later changes in land use, population growth, and infrastructure development

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.