Published in 1966 from survey work completed in 1964, the US Geological Survey’s “Wimberley” presents a finely observed portrait of the Texas Hill Country at a moment when rural settlement, ranchland, creeks, and wooded uplands still defined much of the area’s character. At 1:24,000 scale, the map captures Wimberley not as an isolated village, but as part of a textured landscape shaped by water, limestone hills, and winding roads. Its contour lines describe the rise and fall of the surrounding terrain with scientific precision, while green vegetation tinting emphasizes the wooded pockets that soften the rugged topography. The result is both a practical government survey and a historical snapshot of a community poised between pastoral quiet and later growth.

Created by the United States Geological Survey, the map belongs to one of the most influential cartographic traditions in American history. Founded to study the nation’s geology, water, minerals, landforms, and natural hazards, the USGS became especially renowned for its topographic quadrangles, which documented the country with extraordinary consistency and detail. In the “Wimberley” sheet, that institutional discipline is evident in every measured contour, road classification, stream course, and symbol. The map’s design is restrained but elegant: elevation is rendered through dense contouring, vegetation appears in contrasting green, and cultural features are set clearly against the natural terrain. This balance of clarity and complexity is a hallmark of mid-twentieth-century USGS mapping.

The landscape shown is unmistakably that of the Texas Hill Country, where hills, ridges, creek valleys, and limestone slopes create a varied and dramatic terrain. Cypress Creek and the Blanco River are among the defining features, their courses cutting through the map and anchoring the settlement pattern around Wimberley. The rivers and smaller drainage lines reveal how water shaped habitation, travel, and agriculture in a region where springs, creeks, and river crossings carried practical importance. Small lakes and ponds appear throughout the sheet, adding further evidence of local water management and natural basins. The contour lines give the terrain a sculptural quality, allowing the viewer to read hills and valleys almost as if in relief.

Among the most evocative nearby features is Devil’s Backbone Ridge, part of the celebrated escarpment country that has long given this region its reputation for striking views and rugged beauty. Roads and trails thread through the hills, negotiating slopes and creek crossings while linking Wimberley to outlying farms, ranches, and neighboring routes. Intersecting highways suggest the growing importance of automobile travel in the mid-twentieth century, yet the overall pattern remains dispersed and rural. Wooded areas, open clearings, and water features combine to show a landscape still strongly governed by topography. The map rewards close reading, revealing how settlement adapted to the contours rather than overwhelming them.

Historically, the “Wimberley” quadrangle is compelling because it records the area before later waves of residential expansion, tourism, and commercial development altered much of the surrounding countryside. Wimberley would become increasingly known for its scenic setting, river recreation, arts community, and Hill Country charm, but this map preserves an earlier geography of modest roads, natural vegetation, rural parcels, and creekside settlement. It offers a valuable comparison point for understanding how central Texas communities evolved during the postwar decades, as improved highways and population growth gradually transformed remote hill country into desirable residential and recreational landscapes. In its quiet precision, the map captures both the permanence of landforms and the fleeting character of human use.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Wimberley
• Cypress Creek
• Blanco River
• Devil's Backbone Ridge
• Various small lakes and ponds
• Roads and trails
• Intersecting highways
• Wooded areas and natural vegetation

Historical context & cartographic details

• Created by the US Geological Survey
• Historical 1:24,000 topographical map of Wimberley, Texas, and the surrounding area
• Produced using survey data from 1964 and published in 1966
• Shows hilly terrain typical of the Texas Hill Country, with varied elevations and significant landscape changes
• Uses topographic shading, contour lines, and contrasting green areas to indicate elevation and vegetation
• Reflects Wimberley’s historical rural character before later residential and commercial development
• The US Geological Survey is a U.S. government scientific agency known for topographical mapping and geological studies

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.