Rare Old Map of Roswell, Georgia by USGS, 1956: Chattahoochee River & Atlanta Suburbs
Restored in our London workshop from the original 1957 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 1957 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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“Roswell Quadrangle” is a finely detailed United States Geological Survey topographic map of Roswell, Georgia, created in 1956 and issued with a...
Continue reading“Roswell Quadrangle” is a finely detailed United States Geological Survey topographic map of Roswell, Georgia, created in 1956 and issued with a 1957 imprint. Drawn at the practical and revealing 1:24,000 scale, it presents Roswell and its surrounding countryside at a moment when the northern Atlanta region was beginning to change rapidly. The map captures a landscape still defined by wooded ridges, agricultural tracts, streams, and winding local roads, yet already showing the patterns of postwar suburban growth. With its precise contours and restrained green-and-white palette, the sheet offers both scientific clarity and historical atmosphere, preserving Roswell as it stood between its older mill-town identity and its emerging place within metropolitan Atlanta.
The map was produced by the U.S. Geological Survey, one of America’s most consequential scientific institutions. Established in 1879, the USGS became the nation’s authoritative source for mapping landforms, waterways, mineral resources, and later biological and environmental data. Its quadrangle maps were indispensable tools for engineers, planners, hikers, landowners, and government agencies, but they now serve equally as historical documents. In this Roswell sheet, the USGS method is evident in the disciplined contour work, standardized symbols, and careful rendering of roads, buildings, vegetation, and drainage. The result is a map that is not merely decorative, but a measured portrait of terrain, settlement, and infrastructure.
The Chattahoochee River is one of the defining features of the map, its course shaping both the natural and human geography of the region. Streams and tributaries branch through valleys and wooded areas, while contour lines reveal the hills and hollows characteristic of north Georgia’s Piedmont landscape. Green shading marks forested or vegetated terrain, giving immediate visual contrast to open land, roads, and developed spaces. Roswell appears within this textured setting of river corridors, ridgelines, and rural routes, with highways and local roads threading through the quadrangle. The map’s topographic language makes the area’s relief intelligible at a glance, transforming elevation into a graceful cartographic pattern.
Historically, the map is especially compelling for the way it records Roswell during the years after World War II, when communities around Atlanta were undergoing profound transformation. The older landscape of farms, wooded tracts, and small settlements was increasingly intersected by improved roads, expanding residential neighborhoods, and new patterns of commuting and development. Roswell’s proximity to Atlanta and the Chattahoochee made it attractive for suburban growth, yet this map still shows a community closely tied to its terrain. Agricultural lands, forested spaces, and scattered built areas coexist, revealing a transitional moment before the more intensive expansion of later decades reshaped the region.
Beyond its historical value, “Roswell Quadrangle” possesses the quiet elegance characteristic of mid-century USGS cartography. Its beauty lies in precision: the rhythm of contour lines across hills and valleys, the branching geometry of creeks, the measured symbols for roads and inhabited places, and the softened fields of green denoting vegetation. Parks, recreational areas, residential districts, and natural corridors appear as parts of a single landscape system, each made legible through careful survey and design. For anyone drawn to Georgia history, Atlanta’s suburban evolution, or the artistry of scientific mapping, this map offers a richly layered view of Roswell at a pivotal moment in its modern development.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Roswell, Georgia
- Chattahoochee River
- Numerous roads including major highways
- Parks and recreational areas
- Residential neighborhoods
- Streams and tributaries
- Contours representing hills and valleys
- Agricultural lands
- Forested areas
Historical context & cartographic details
- Produced by the US Geological Survey, this historical 1:24,000 topographical map shows Roswell, Georgia and the surrounding area.
- Created in 1956 and published with a 1957 imprint.
- Published by the US Geological Survey (USGS).
- The USGS has been a primary source of water, earth, and biological science data in the United States since its establishment in 1879.
- The map uses a green and white color scheme to denote vegetation and elevation relief, typical of topographical maps from this era.
- Significant hills and valleys are shown through contour lines and varying shades of green.
- The map captures Roswell during a period of post-World War II development, reflecting changing land use and suburban expansion in the Atlanta metropolitan area.
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.
“Roswell Quadrangle” is a finely detailed United States Geological Survey topographic map of Roswell, Georgia, created in 1956 and issued with a 1957 imprint. Drawn at the practical and revealing 1:24,000 scale, it presents Roswell and its surrounding countryside at a moment when the northern Atlanta region was beginning to change rapidly. The map captures a landscape still defined by wooded ridges, agricultural tracts, streams, and winding local roads, yet already showing the patterns of postwar suburban growth. With its precise contours and restrained green-and-white palette, the sheet offers both scientific clarity and historical atmosphere, preserving Roswell as it stood between its older mill-town identity and its emerging place within metropolitan Atlanta.
The map was produced by the U.S. Geological Survey, one of America’s most consequential scientific institutions. Established in 1879, the USGS became the nation’s authoritative source for mapping landforms, waterways, mineral resources, and later biological and environmental data. Its quadrangle maps were indispensable tools for engineers, planners, hikers, landowners, and government agencies, but they now serve equally as historical documents. In this Roswell sheet, the USGS method is evident in the disciplined contour work, standardized symbols, and careful rendering of roads, buildings, vegetation, and drainage. The result is a map that is not merely decorative, but a measured portrait of terrain, settlement, and infrastructure.
The Chattahoochee River is one of the defining features of the map, its course shaping both the natural and human geography of the region. Streams and tributaries branch through valleys and wooded areas, while contour lines reveal the hills and hollows characteristic of north Georgia’s Piedmont landscape. Green shading marks forested or vegetated terrain, giving immediate visual contrast to open land, roads, and developed spaces. Roswell appears within this textured setting of river corridors, ridgelines, and rural routes, with highways and local roads threading through the quadrangle. The map’s topographic language makes the area’s relief intelligible at a glance, transforming elevation into a graceful cartographic pattern.
Historically, the map is especially compelling for the way it records Roswell during the years after World War II, when communities around Atlanta were undergoing profound transformation. The older landscape of farms, wooded tracts, and small settlements was increasingly intersected by improved roads, expanding residential neighborhoods, and new patterns of commuting and development. Roswell’s proximity to Atlanta and the Chattahoochee made it attractive for suburban growth, yet this map still shows a community closely tied to its terrain. Agricultural lands, forested spaces, and scattered built areas coexist, revealing a transitional moment before the more intensive expansion of later decades reshaped the region.
Beyond its historical value, “Roswell Quadrangle” possesses the quiet elegance characteristic of mid-century USGS cartography. Its beauty lies in precision: the rhythm of contour lines across hills and valleys, the branching geometry of creeks, the measured symbols for roads and inhabited places, and the softened fields of green denoting vegetation. Parks, recreational areas, residential districts, and natural corridors appear as parts of a single landscape system, each made legible through careful survey and design. For anyone drawn to Georgia history, Atlanta’s suburban evolution, or the artistry of scientific mapping, this map offers a richly layered view of Roswell at a pivotal moment in its modern development.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Roswell, Georgia
- Chattahoochee River
- Numerous roads including major highways
- Parks and recreational areas
- Residential neighborhoods
- Streams and tributaries
- Contours representing hills and valleys
- Agricultural lands
- Forested areas
Historical context & cartographic details
- Produced by the US Geological Survey, this historical 1:24,000 topographical map shows Roswell, Georgia and the surrounding area.
- Created in 1956 and published with a 1957 imprint.
- Published by the US Geological Survey (USGS).
- The USGS has been a primary source of water, earth, and biological science data in the United States since its establishment in 1879.
- The map uses a green and white color scheme to denote vegetation and elevation relief, typical of topographical maps from this era.
- Significant hills and valleys are shown through contour lines and varying shades of green.
- The map captures Roswell during a period of post-World War II development, reflecting changing land use and suburban expansion in the Atlanta metropolitan area.
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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