Rare Old Map of Lutsen, Minnesota by USGS, 1919: Grand Marais & Lake Superior
Restored in our London workshop from the original 1943 map and printed to museum-grade archival standards. Full description
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.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 1943 map and printed to museum-grade archival standards. Full description
Choose your size
Choose your finish
(More info)
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!
Own a piece of history
8,000+ five-star reviews
Published in 1943 from survey work first created in 1919, the US Geological Survey’s “Lutsen” map captures a remarkable stretch of Minnesota’s...
Continue readingPublished in 1943 from survey work first created in 1919, the US Geological Survey’s “Lutsen” map captures a remarkable stretch of Minnesota’s North Shore at a formative moment in its modern history. Centered on Lutsen and extending toward Grand Marais, Lockport, Brule Lake, and the vast inland edge of Lake Superior, the map presents the region with the disciplined clarity characteristic of early twentieth-century federal cartography. Its 1:62,500 scale allows the viewer to read both settlement and wilderness together: roads, waterways, shorelines, contours, and named places combine into a portrait of a landscape still sparsely developed, yet increasingly legible to travelers, planners, surveyors, and residents.
The United States Geological Survey, founded in 1879, became one of the defining institutions in American mapmaking, translating immense and varied terrain into standardized, practical, and scientifically grounded sheets. This Lutsen quadrangle reflects that mission with particular elegance. The cartography is functional but never austere: a measured grid aids orientation, clear labeling anchors towns and water bodies, and the familiar USGS tonal palette helps separate landform, drainage, and human infrastructure. The map’s classification as both advance and planimetric speaks to its practical purpose, emphasizing navigable geographic information while preserving the broader topographic intelligence needed to understand this rugged corner of Minnesota.
Lake Superior dominates the composition, not merely as a boundary but as the defining natural force of the map. Its cold northern shore bends past Lutsen and Grand Marais, shaping settlement patterns, transportation routes, and the very sense of scale. Inland, the terrain rises into a broken country of hills, valleys, streams, and forested uplands, rendered through contour lines and hydrographic detail. Brule Lake and the surrounding waterways hint at the interconnected lake-and-river systems that made the region important for travel, logging, fishing, and later recreation. The result is a map that balances coastal drama with the quieter complexity of the interior landscape.
Historically, this sheet records the North Shore before the full transformation brought by later road improvements, resort development, and expanding tourism. Lutsen, now closely associated with skiing, outdoor recreation, and scenic travel, appears here in a more restrained cartographic context: a place within a remote and demanding landscape rather than a destination marketed for leisure. Grand Marais, long a harbor community and gateway to the interior, provides another point of human reference along the lakeshore. Comparing this early twentieth-century geography with the present reveals shifting patterns of access, land use, population, and environmental management across one of Minnesota’s most evocative regions.
As a historical topographical document, the “Lutsen” map offers more than geographic information; it preserves a particular way of seeing the land. The grid, contours, shorelines, and settlement names form an ordered interpretation of a place where wilderness and infrastructure meet. Its restrained design rewards close study, inviting the eye to follow unnamed rivers, trace elevation changes, and imagine the routes between harbor, forest, lake, and ridge. For collectors drawn to Great Lakes history, American survey cartography, or the evolving geography of the Upper Midwest, this map stands as a finely detailed record of Minnesota’s North Shore at the intersection of exploration, measurement, and change.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Lutsen
- Grand Marais
- Lake Superior
- Lockport
- Brule Lake
- Several unnamed rivers
- Elevation and contour features, including hills and valleys
Historical context & cartographic details
- Produced by the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
- Historical 1:62,500 topographical map of Lutsen, Minnesota and the surrounding area.
- Created in 1919 and published with a 1943 imprint.
- Classified as an advance and planimetric map.
- Uses a structured grid system for navigation and reference.
- Features prominent labeling for landmarks and water bodies.
- Employs typical USGS colors from the period, with a toned background to enhance topographical detail.
- Depicts elevations, water bodies, hills, valleys, and the broader lay of the land.
- Serves as an early 20th-century geographic record of the Lutsen area.
- Useful for comparing historical land use, road development, and population growth with the modern landscape.
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 1943 from survey work first created in 1919, the US Geological Survey’s “Lutsen” map captures a remarkable stretch of Minnesota’s North Shore at a formative moment in its modern history. Centered on Lutsen and extending toward Grand Marais, Lockport, Brule Lake, and the vast inland edge of Lake Superior, the map presents the region with the disciplined clarity characteristic of early twentieth-century federal cartography. Its 1:62,500 scale allows the viewer to read both settlement and wilderness together: roads, waterways, shorelines, contours, and named places combine into a portrait of a landscape still sparsely developed, yet increasingly legible to travelers, planners, surveyors, and residents.
The United States Geological Survey, founded in 1879, became one of the defining institutions in American mapmaking, translating immense and varied terrain into standardized, practical, and scientifically grounded sheets. This Lutsen quadrangle reflects that mission with particular elegance. The cartography is functional but never austere: a measured grid aids orientation, clear labeling anchors towns and water bodies, and the familiar USGS tonal palette helps separate landform, drainage, and human infrastructure. The map’s classification as both advance and planimetric speaks to its practical purpose, emphasizing navigable geographic information while preserving the broader topographic intelligence needed to understand this rugged corner of Minnesota.
Lake Superior dominates the composition, not merely as a boundary but as the defining natural force of the map. Its cold northern shore bends past Lutsen and Grand Marais, shaping settlement patterns, transportation routes, and the very sense of scale. Inland, the terrain rises into a broken country of hills, valleys, streams, and forested uplands, rendered through contour lines and hydrographic detail. Brule Lake and the surrounding waterways hint at the interconnected lake-and-river systems that made the region important for travel, logging, fishing, and later recreation. The result is a map that balances coastal drama with the quieter complexity of the interior landscape.
Historically, this sheet records the North Shore before the full transformation brought by later road improvements, resort development, and expanding tourism. Lutsen, now closely associated with skiing, outdoor recreation, and scenic travel, appears here in a more restrained cartographic context: a place within a remote and demanding landscape rather than a destination marketed for leisure. Grand Marais, long a harbor community and gateway to the interior, provides another point of human reference along the lakeshore. Comparing this early twentieth-century geography with the present reveals shifting patterns of access, land use, population, and environmental management across one of Minnesota’s most evocative regions.
As a historical topographical document, the “Lutsen” map offers more than geographic information; it preserves a particular way of seeing the land. The grid, contours, shorelines, and settlement names form an ordered interpretation of a place where wilderness and infrastructure meet. Its restrained design rewards close study, inviting the eye to follow unnamed rivers, trace elevation changes, and imagine the routes between harbor, forest, lake, and ridge. For collectors drawn to Great Lakes history, American survey cartography, or the evolving geography of the Upper Midwest, this map stands as a finely detailed record of Minnesota’s North Shore at the intersection of exploration, measurement, and change.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Lutsen
- Grand Marais
- Lake Superior
- Lockport
- Brule Lake
- Several unnamed rivers
- Elevation and contour features, including hills and valleys
Historical context & cartographic details
- Produced by the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
- Historical 1:62,500 topographical map of Lutsen, Minnesota and the surrounding area.
- Created in 1919 and published with a 1943 imprint.
- Classified as an advance and planimetric map.
- Uses a structured grid system for navigation and reference.
- Features prominent labeling for landmarks and water bodies.
- Employs typical USGS colors from the period, with a toned background to enhance topographical detail.
- Depicts elevations, water bodies, hills, valleys, and the broader lay of the land.
- Serves as an early 20th-century geographic record of the Lutsen area.
- Useful for comparing historical land use, road development, and population growth with the modern landscape.
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.
Or try searching for something!
