Published in 1947 by Lauk and Company of Luray, Virginia, this pictorial map of Shenandoah National Park captures the Blue Ridge at a moment when Americans were rediscovering the open road after the war. Lauk’s distinctive mid-century style—rich color, stylized relief, and decorative borders—transforms ridgelines and hollows into a living panorama of the Virginia highlands. Illustrated vignettes frame the composition with native flora, fauna, and scenes of outdoor life, inviting the viewer to step into the landscape itself. More than a guide, it is a celebration of the park’s character, marrying cartographic clarity with the romance of travel at a time when national parks were becoming central to the American imagination.

The map is meticulously organized around the park boundary, with a clear hierarchy of primary and secondary roads led by Skyline Drive threading the crest. It pinpoints designated overlooks and scenic vistas, then dives into the terrain with named summits—Hawksbill, Stony Man, Little Stony Man, Old Rag, Bearfence, and Three Ridges—alongside waterfalls and gaps such as Dark Hollow Falls, Thornton Gap, Fishers Gap, and Swift Run. Trails are crisply marked and accompanied by suggested walking routes with estimated times, a thoughtful touch for mid-century hikers. Insets of Big Meadows and Skyland provide focused, on-the-ground orientation, making two of Shenandoah’s most beloved high-country hubs instantly legible to visitors.

Recreational life animates the sheet. Illustrated scenes of fishing, picnicking, and horseback riding echo the park’s postwar appeal as a family destination, while wildlife studies of deer and birds animate the margins and meadows. The relief is rendered in a sculptural, pictorial mode that emphasizes long, rolling spines and intimate valleys, conveying both the grandeur and the approachability of the Blue Ridge. The map foregrounds classic waystations—Elkwallow, Lewis Mountain, Loft Mountain, and Panorama—situating them within an inviting network of trails and lookouts. Old Rag’s rugged profile hints at adventurous scrambles, while Big Meadows’ open highland and Skyland’s ridge-top vantage promise sunrise and stars.

Historically, this map is a vivid artifact of mid-20th-century American cartography and tourism. Skyline Drive—born of New Deal ambition and Civilian Conservation Corps labor in the 1930s—had become a postwar emblem of freedom, weekend mobility, and conservation-minded leisure. Lauk and Company, celebrated for decorative yet utilitarian maps, distilled that ethos into a format equally suited to glovebox navigation and living-room admiration. The inclusion of regional landmarks like Shenandoah Caverns alongside in-park highlights reflects the era’s integrated approach to destination marketing. As such, the map documents how Americans moved through, interpreted, and cherished protected landscapes at a time when national parks were ascending in cultural importance.

For the collector, the allure lies in the seamless fusion of guidance and storytelling. Suggested hiking routes with timing estimates, the careful labeling of lookouts, and the intuitive road-and-trail symbology make the geography lucid; the vignettes and colorwork make it irresistible. Named points—Millers Head, Strickler Knob, Little Stony Man, Bearfence Mountain, and Hawksbill—anchor memories of climbs and views across the Shenandoah Valley. Insets of Big Meadows and Skyland read like invitations to linger, while the depiction of Panorama and the park’s waysides captures the rhythms of a classic Skyline Drive journey. It is at once a practical itinerary and a refined visual tribute to a quintessential American landscape.

Places on this map

• Shenandoah National Park
• Big Meadows
• Skyland
• Elkwallow
• Lewis Mountain
• Dark Hollow Falls
• Panorama
• Old Rag Mountain
• Millers Head
• Little Stony Man
• Bearfence Mountain
• Hawksbill Mountain
• Skyline Drive
• Swift Run
• Stony Man
• Fishers Gap
• Loft Mountain
• Thornton Gap
• Three Ridges
• Strickler Knob

Notable Features & Landmarks

• Park Boundary
• Road Network: Includes primary and secondary roads
• Trails: Clearly marked trails for hiking
• Insets:
• Big Meadows
• Skyland
• Decorative Vignettes: Illustrations featuring plants, animals, and activities
• Illustrated Scenes: Outdoor activities like fishing, picnicking, and horseback riding
• Topographic Relief: Pictorial representations of mountains and valleys
• Landmarks: Notable physical features such as Shenandoah Caverns and various mountain peaks
• Points of Interest: Designated lookout points and scenic vistas
• Wildlife illustrations: Depictions of local fauna such as deer and birds
• Suggested Routes for Visitors: Highlighted walking trails with estimated hiking times

Historical and design context

• Date Created: 1947
• Mapmaker/Publisher: Lauk and Company, Luray, Virginia
• Context About the Mapmaker: Lauk and Company was known for producing detailed and decorative maps that captured the essence of American landscapes, with an emphasis on tourism during the mid-20th century.
• Design/Style of the Map:
• Pictorial and thematic style, with decorative borders and illustrated vignettes
• Relief depicted in a stylized manner
• Use of color and illustration to enhance visual appeal
• Historical Significance:
• Reflects the post-war interest in natural parks and outdoor recreation
• Serves as a historical artifact highlighting mid-20th-century American cartography and tourism promotion

Please double check the images to make sure that a specific town or place is shown on this map. You can also get in touch and ask us to check the map for you.

This map looks great at every size, but I always recommend going for a larger size if you have space. That way you can easily make out all of the details.

This map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 70in (180cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please get in touch.

The model in the listing images is holding the 24x36in (60x90cm) version of this map.

The fifth listing image shows an example of my map personalisation service.

If you’re looking for something slightly different, check out my collection of the best old maps to see if something else catches your eye.

Please contact me to check if a certain location, landmark or feature is shown on this map.

This would make a wonderful birthday, Christmas, Father's Day, work leaving, anniversary or housewarming gift for someone from the areas covered by this map.

This map is available as a giclée print on acid free archival matte paper, or you can buy it framed. The frame is a nice, simple black frame that suits most aesthetics. Please get in touch if you'd like a different frame colour or material. My frames are glazed with super-clear museum-grade acrylic (perspex/acrylite), which is significantly less reflective than glass, safer, and will always arrive in perfect condition.

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.