Rare Old Map of Long Beach Island, New Jersey by USGS, 1948: Beach Haven & Barnegat Bay
Restored in our London workshop from the original 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.
My maps are rare, museum-grade, restored old maps sourced from libraries, auction houses and private collections across the globe. Full description
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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.
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Published in 1948 by the United States Geological Survey, “Long Beach” presents a finely observed topographical portrait of Long Beach Island and...
Continue readingPublished in 1948 by the United States Geological Survey, “Long Beach” presents a finely observed topographical portrait of Long Beach Island and the adjacent New Jersey mainland at a pivotal moment in the coast’s modern history. Drawn at a 1:62,500 scale, the map balances scientific precision with coastal elegance, tracing the narrow barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and the sheltered waters of Barnegat Bay. Its title is simple and evocative, yet the geography it contains is richly layered: beaches, inlets, marshes, mainland roads, and the emerging resort communities that would come to define this celebrated stretch of the Jersey Shore.
The US Geological Survey brought to this map the disciplined clarity for which its cartography is renowned. Established as a scientific agency of the federal government, the USGS became indispensable for documenting the physical character of the American landscape, especially through its topographic quadrangles. Here, contour lines, shoreline boundaries, waterways, and settlement patterns are rendered with an engineer’s accuracy and a geographer’s sensitivity. The clear color scheme distinguishes land from water with immediate legibility, while the blue tones of bays, channels, and the Atlantic lend the map a quiet coastal rhythm. It is both a practical survey and a historical record of place.
Long Beach Island itself appears as a delicate, elongated barrier between ocean and bay, its communities strung along the coast like beads: Beach Haven, Ship Bottom, Surf City, Barnegat Light, Holgate, and the broader jurisdiction of Long Beach Township. The map captures the island before later waves of intensive development, when the relationship between settlement and natural landscape remained especially visible. Roads and towns occupy narrow bands of habitable ground, while dunes, beaches, and low-lying margins reveal the environmental fragility of the shoreline. The Atlantic front is direct and exposed; the bay side is intricate, sheltered, and defined by channels and marshy edges.
Across Barnegat Bay, the mainland New Jersey landscape provides a contrasting geography of waterways, wetlands, and growing communities such as Manahawkin and Little Egg Harbor. The map’s treatment of entrances to various waterways is especially compelling, showing how movement through this coastal world depended upon channels, inlets, and protected passages. Marshlands and tidal flats speak to the ecological richness of the region, long shaped by salt water, sediment, wind, and seasonal change. These features are more than background detail: they are central to understanding the area’s natural history, its fisheries, its navigation, and the gradual transformation of quiet shore settlements into popular destinations.
As a 1948 coastal map, “Long Beach” records a landscape on the cusp of profound change. In the postwar years, improved roads, rising automobile travel, and a growing middle-class appetite for seaside recreation accelerated development along the New Jersey coast. Long Beach Island, already beloved for its beaches and family resorts, would increasingly become a seasonal haven of cottages, shops, marinas, and vacation communities. Yet this map preserves the older structure beneath that growth: the barrier island, the dunes, the bay, the marshes, and the tenuous boundaries between land and water. It is a beautiful document of coastal geography, leisure history, and environmental transition.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Long Beach Island
- Beach Haven
- Ship Bottom
- Surf City
- Barnegat Light
- Holgate
- Long Beach Township
- Manahawkin
- Little Egg Harbor
- Atlantic Ocean
- Barnegat Bay
- Entrances to various waterways
- Coastlines
- Beaches
- Dunes and marshlands
Historical context & cartographic details
- Produced by the US Geological Survey (USGS) in 1948.
- Historical 1:62,500 topographical map of the New Jersey coastal region.
- USGS is a scientific agency of the U.S. government known for detailed topographical mapping of American landscapes.
- Uses a clear color scheme to distinguish land from water.
- Includes detailed topographic contour lines indicating elevation and ecological features.
- Shows clear land and water boundaries, with varying shades of blue for water bodies.
- Captures a period of increasing development along the New Jersey coastline.
- Reflects changing land use and the emergence of beach communities in the mid-20th century.
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 1948 by the United States Geological Survey, “Long Beach” presents a finely observed topographical portrait of Long Beach Island and the adjacent New Jersey mainland at a pivotal moment in the coast’s modern history. Drawn at a 1:62,500 scale, the map balances scientific precision with coastal elegance, tracing the narrow barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and the sheltered waters of Barnegat Bay. Its title is simple and evocative, yet the geography it contains is richly layered: beaches, inlets, marshes, mainland roads, and the emerging resort communities that would come to define this celebrated stretch of the Jersey Shore.
The US Geological Survey brought to this map the disciplined clarity for which its cartography is renowned. Established as a scientific agency of the federal government, the USGS became indispensable for documenting the physical character of the American landscape, especially through its topographic quadrangles. Here, contour lines, shoreline boundaries, waterways, and settlement patterns are rendered with an engineer’s accuracy and a geographer’s sensitivity. The clear color scheme distinguishes land from water with immediate legibility, while the blue tones of bays, channels, and the Atlantic lend the map a quiet coastal rhythm. It is both a practical survey and a historical record of place.
Long Beach Island itself appears as a delicate, elongated barrier between ocean and bay, its communities strung along the coast like beads: Beach Haven, Ship Bottom, Surf City, Barnegat Light, Holgate, and the broader jurisdiction of Long Beach Township. The map captures the island before later waves of intensive development, when the relationship between settlement and natural landscape remained especially visible. Roads and towns occupy narrow bands of habitable ground, while dunes, beaches, and low-lying margins reveal the environmental fragility of the shoreline. The Atlantic front is direct and exposed; the bay side is intricate, sheltered, and defined by channels and marshy edges.
Across Barnegat Bay, the mainland New Jersey landscape provides a contrasting geography of waterways, wetlands, and growing communities such as Manahawkin and Little Egg Harbor. The map’s treatment of entrances to various waterways is especially compelling, showing how movement through this coastal world depended upon channels, inlets, and protected passages. Marshlands and tidal flats speak to the ecological richness of the region, long shaped by salt water, sediment, wind, and seasonal change. These features are more than background detail: they are central to understanding the area’s natural history, its fisheries, its navigation, and the gradual transformation of quiet shore settlements into popular destinations.
As a 1948 coastal map, “Long Beach” records a landscape on the cusp of profound change. In the postwar years, improved roads, rising automobile travel, and a growing middle-class appetite for seaside recreation accelerated development along the New Jersey coast. Long Beach Island, already beloved for its beaches and family resorts, would increasingly become a seasonal haven of cottages, shops, marinas, and vacation communities. Yet this map preserves the older structure beneath that growth: the barrier island, the dunes, the bay, the marshes, and the tenuous boundaries between land and water. It is a beautiful document of coastal geography, leisure history, and environmental transition.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Long Beach Island
- Beach Haven
- Ship Bottom
- Surf City
- Barnegat Light
- Holgate
- Long Beach Township
- Manahawkin
- Little Egg Harbor
- Atlantic Ocean
- Barnegat Bay
- Entrances to various waterways
- Coastlines
- Beaches
- Dunes and marshlands
Historical context & cartographic details
- Produced by the US Geological Survey (USGS) in 1948.
- Historical 1:62,500 topographical map of the New Jersey coastal region.
- USGS is a scientific agency of the U.S. government known for detailed topographical mapping of American landscapes.
- Uses a clear color scheme to distinguish land from water.
- Includes detailed topographic contour lines indicating elevation and ecological features.
- Shows clear land and water boundaries, with varying shades of blue for water bodies.
- Captures a period of increasing development along the New Jersey coastline.
- Reflects changing land use and the emergence of beach communities in the mid-20th century.
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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