Rare Old Map of Iowa City, Iowa by USGS, 1891: University of Iowa & Iowa River
Restored in our London workshop from the original 1926 map and printed to museum-grade archival standards. Full description
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Choose two eligible works and receive 20% off both. Choose three and the lowest-priced one is complimentary, a maximum saving of 33%.
Mix and match eligible standard maps and fine-art prints. No code is required; the offer is applied automatically at checkout.
Standard made-to-order configurations are included. Bespoke sizes, personalised designs and commissioned work are excluded.
Need delivery to different addresses? Contact us before ordering.The Collector’s Offer
Choose two eligible works and receive 20% off both. Choose three and the lowest-priced one is complimentary, a maximum saving of 33%.
Mix and match eligible standard maps and fine-art prints. No code is required; the offer is applied automatically at checkout.
Standard made-to-order configurations are included. Bespoke sizes, personalised designs and commissioned work are excluded.
Need delivery to different addresses? Contact us before ordering.
Restored from the original 1926 map and printed to museum-grade archival standards. Full description
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Gift message & custom finish
If you want to add a gift message, or a finish (jigsaw, aluminium board, etc.) that is not available here, please request it in the "order note" when you check out.
Every order is custom made, so if you need the size adjusted slightly, or printed on an unusual material, just let us know. We've done thousands of custom orders over the years, so there's (almost) nothing we can't manage.
You can also contact us before you order, if you prefer!
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Published in 1926 from survey work originally created in 1891, the US Geological Survey’s “Iowa City” presents a finely observed portrait of...
Continue readingPublished in 1926 from survey work originally created in 1891, the US Geological Survey’s “Iowa City” presents a finely observed portrait of Johnson County and its surrounding Iowa landscape at a pivotal moment in the region’s development. At a scale of 1:62,500, the map balances broad regional coverage with remarkable local detail, placing Iowa City at the center of a network of roads, rural settlements, waterways, and cultivated land. The University of Iowa, already central to the city’s identity, anchors the urban scene, while the surrounding countryside reveals the agricultural character that shaped eastern Iowa’s economy. The map captures a landscape poised between nineteenth-century settlement patterns and the infrastructural changes of the early twentieth century.
The United States Geological Survey, established in 1879, became one of the most important scientific mapping institutions in American history, charged with systematically surveying the nation’s terrain, resources, and geologic structure. This map reflects the USGS’s commitment to precision, legibility, and practical utility. Contour lines trace the rolling topography around Iowa City, showing the subtle but meaningful rises and hollows of the region rather than presenting the land as a flat agricultural grid. Color and line weight distinguish roads, streams, town boundaries, and relief, creating a map that is both scientifically rigorous and visually elegant. It is a product of the great federal effort to make the American landscape measurable, navigable, and comprehensible.
Iowa City itself appears not merely as a dot on the map, but as a civic and educational center embedded within a wider rural world. The presence of the University of Iowa is especially significant: founded in 1847, it helped define the city as a place of scholarship, medicine, law, and public life. By the time of the original 1891 survey, Iowa City had long ceased to be the state capital, yet retained a cultural prominence disproportionate to its size. The map’s roads and neighborhoods hint at the city’s outward growth, while its relationship to the Iowa River underscores the importance of water, elevation, and transport in shaping the settlement’s form.
Beyond the city, the map opens into the townships, farms, roads, and small communities of Johnson and neighboring Washington County. Hills, rural routes, unnamed trails, and township divisions reveal a working landscape organized around agriculture and local movement rather than metropolitan expansion. The Iowa River winds through the sheet as both a natural feature and a historical corridor, influencing settlement, drainage, and travel. Places such as Hills and the surrounding townships emerge within a matrix of fields and lanes, offering a glimpse of the late nineteenth-century Midwest before the dominance of modern highways and suburban sprawl. The result is a richly layered record of everyday geography.
What makes this map especially compelling is its ability to preserve change in progress. The 1891 survey captures Iowa City and its hinterland in a late Victorian moment, while the 1926 imprint places it within an era of automobiles, modernized infrastructure, and expanding federal cartography. Comparing the two dates invites reflection on continuity and transformation: river valleys remain, contours endure, but roads, neighborhoods, land use, and urban scale inevitably shift. The map is therefore more than a navigational document; it is a historical witness to the shaping of an American university town and its agricultural surroundings. Its disciplined topographic style gives enduring form to a landscape in motion.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Iowa City
- University of Iowa
- Johnson County
- Washington County
- Hills
- Iowa River
- Various unnamed roads and trails
- Neighborhoods within Iowa City
- Farmland and rural areas surrounding Iowa City
- Iowa Township
- Washington Township
Historical context & cartographic details
- Produced by the United States Geological Survey (USGS)
- Historical 1:62,500 topographical map of Iowa City, Iowa and the surrounding area
- Originally created in 1891; published with a 1926 imprint
- Uses contour lines to show elevation changes and the area’s undulating topography
- Depicts rivers, hills, and surrounding rural landscape features
- Clear use of color and line weight differentiates map features for easier navigation
- Provides insight into the geographic and urban development of Iowa City during the late 19th and early 20th centuries
- Useful for comparing historic urban layout, land use, and infrastructure with present-day maps
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.
Published in 1926 from survey work originally created in 1891, the US Geological Survey’s “Iowa City” presents a finely observed portrait of Johnson County and its surrounding Iowa landscape at a pivotal moment in the region’s development. At a scale of 1:62,500, the map balances broad regional coverage with remarkable local detail, placing Iowa City at the center of a network of roads, rural settlements, waterways, and cultivated land. The University of Iowa, already central to the city’s identity, anchors the urban scene, while the surrounding countryside reveals the agricultural character that shaped eastern Iowa’s economy. The map captures a landscape poised between nineteenth-century settlement patterns and the infrastructural changes of the early twentieth century.
The United States Geological Survey, established in 1879, became one of the most important scientific mapping institutions in American history, charged with systematically surveying the nation’s terrain, resources, and geologic structure. This map reflects the USGS’s commitment to precision, legibility, and practical utility. Contour lines trace the rolling topography around Iowa City, showing the subtle but meaningful rises and hollows of the region rather than presenting the land as a flat agricultural grid. Color and line weight distinguish roads, streams, town boundaries, and relief, creating a map that is both scientifically rigorous and visually elegant. It is a product of the great federal effort to make the American landscape measurable, navigable, and comprehensible.
Iowa City itself appears not merely as a dot on the map, but as a civic and educational center embedded within a wider rural world. The presence of the University of Iowa is especially significant: founded in 1847, it helped define the city as a place of scholarship, medicine, law, and public life. By the time of the original 1891 survey, Iowa City had long ceased to be the state capital, yet retained a cultural prominence disproportionate to its size. The map’s roads and neighborhoods hint at the city’s outward growth, while its relationship to the Iowa River underscores the importance of water, elevation, and transport in shaping the settlement’s form.
Beyond the city, the map opens into the townships, farms, roads, and small communities of Johnson and neighboring Washington County. Hills, rural routes, unnamed trails, and township divisions reveal a working landscape organized around agriculture and local movement rather than metropolitan expansion. The Iowa River winds through the sheet as both a natural feature and a historical corridor, influencing settlement, drainage, and travel. Places such as Hills and the surrounding townships emerge within a matrix of fields and lanes, offering a glimpse of the late nineteenth-century Midwest before the dominance of modern highways and suburban sprawl. The result is a richly layered record of everyday geography.
What makes this map especially compelling is its ability to preserve change in progress. The 1891 survey captures Iowa City and its hinterland in a late Victorian moment, while the 1926 imprint places it within an era of automobiles, modernized infrastructure, and expanding federal cartography. Comparing the two dates invites reflection on continuity and transformation: river valleys remain, contours endure, but roads, neighborhoods, land use, and urban scale inevitably shift. The map is therefore more than a navigational document; it is a historical witness to the shaping of an American university town and its agricultural surroundings. Its disciplined topographic style gives enduring form to a landscape in motion.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Iowa City
- University of Iowa
- Johnson County
- Washington County
- Hills
- Iowa River
- Various unnamed roads and trails
- Neighborhoods within Iowa City
- Farmland and rural areas surrounding Iowa City
- Iowa Township
- Washington Township
Historical context & cartographic details
- Produced by the United States Geological Survey (USGS)
- Historical 1:62,500 topographical map of Iowa City, Iowa and the surrounding area
- Originally created in 1891; published with a 1926 imprint
- Uses contour lines to show elevation changes and the area’s undulating topography
- Depicts rivers, hills, and surrounding rural landscape features
- Clear use of color and line weight differentiates map features for easier navigation
- Provides insight into the geographic and urban development of Iowa City during the late 19th and early 20th centuries
- Useful for comparing historic urban layout, land use, and infrastructure with present-day maps
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.
Many of our maps and art prints are chosen as thoughtful gifts for homes, offices, studies and meaningful places.
Choose a framed option for the easiest ready-to-hang gift, or choose an unframed print if the recipient may prefer to select their own frame.
We make orders locally in 23 countries around the world, so gifts can often be produced close to the recipient. This helps them arrive faster, travel more safely, and avoid customs or import duty surprises.
- We can deliver directly to the recipient
- Framed pieces arrive ready to hang
- Unframed prints are carefully packed in a strong protective tube
- Almost every order is made locally, for faster, safer gifting
- 90-day returns give the recipient time to decide
If you are not sure what to choose, please contact us. We can help you pick the right map, size, finish or delivery option.
Most orders are made locally and delivered in around 2–3 working days, depending on the product, size and destination.
We print and frame maps and artwork in 23 countries around the world, so your order is usually made close to you or your recipient. That means faster delivery, less time in transit, and no customs or import duty surprises.
Personalised and customised pieces usually take an extra 1–2 working days, because we prepare your design and send it to you for approval before printing.
Very large framed orders can take a little longer, as they need extra care in production and delivery.
Every order is carefully packaged: unframed prints are sent in a strong protective tube, while framed pieces are securely packed with protective materials around the frame.
If you need your order by a particular date, please contact us before ordering. We’ll check the best production route and delivery option for your location.
Express delivery is available at checkout for most countries. Next-day delivery is available in the UK, US, Singapore and the UAE.
Your order is covered by our 90-day returns policy and 10-year guarantee.
Our standard frame is a gallery-style black ash hardwood frame, with a simple, modern look. It is approximately 20mm (0.8in) wide. You can also view some lovely customer photos of framed maps and art.
We use super-clear acrylic glazing, also known as Perspex or Acrylite, instead of traditional glass. It is lighter, safer, and has lower reflectivity, giving the artwork a clearer, cleaner appearance.
Six standard frame colours are available at no extra cost: black, dark brown, dark grey, oak, white, and antique gold. Custom framing and mounting/matting is also available for customers looking for something more specific.
Most maps, art prints, and illustrations are also available as a framed canvas. We use matte cotton canvas, stretch it over a sustainably sourced wooden box frame, and then float the piece within a wooden outer frame. The finished result is beautifully presented, with no glazing between you and the artwork.
All frames are supplied ready to hang, with either string or brackets fitted to the back. Very large frames will include heavy-duty hanging plates and/or a mounting baton. If you have any questions, please get in touch.
We can also supply old maps and artwork on canvas, foam board, cotton rag, and other materials.
If you would prefer to frame your map or artwork yourself, please read our size guide before ordering.
Every Unique Maps piece begins with an authentic cartographic source or an original design from our London studio.
For our historic maps, we source rare originals from libraries, archives, auction houses and private collections around the world. We carefully restore each map for print—repairing age-related damage, balancing colour and improving clarity while preserving its original detail, texture and character.
Once restored, the map is prepared for your chosen size and finish. Your piece is then printed and, where selected, framed close to its delivery destination.
Our map prints use acid-free 200gsm archival matte paper and fade-resistant pigment inks, creating a rich, non-glossy finish designed to last. Framed maps use crystal-clear optical acrylic and arrive ready to hang.
Canvas, cotton-rag and other specialist presentations are also available. Learn more about our materials and finishes.
Personalising your map
You can add a short title or dedication, mark one meaningful place, or request one considered visual detail. For personalised designs, we send a proof before printing and you can request changes before approval.
For more complex bespoke commissions, contact our design team.
Original or Aged
Choose Original for true-to-source colour, or Aged for a warmer, richer antique character created with our specialist ageing process. See examples of our Aged maps.
We’ve been restoring and producing maps and art prints since 1984, and we stand behind every piece.
Every order is covered by our 10-year guarantee and damage-free delivery guarantee. If your piece arrives damaged, we’ll replace or remake it free of charge. If anything else isn’t right, contact our workshop team and we’ll put it right promptly.
See our returns and refund policy for full details.
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