Titled "South Carolina," this 1920 state map from the George F. Cram Company captures the Palmetto State at the dawn of the motor age, when new routes stitched together long-established towns and plantations into a modern network. Designed as both navigational tool and geographic portrait, it uses a disciplined palette to extraordinary effect: electric lines glow in red, auto trails course across the state in distinct tints, and state roads and highways alternate between red and blue for instant legibility. Administrative boundaries are crisply color-coded, while principal cities, county seats, and the capital stand out in green. An illustrative key clarifies every symbol, and a mile-referenced scale anchors distance at a glance. Hachured relief adds sculptural depth, casting the Piedmont and coastal flats into satisfying visual balance.

Chicago-based George F. Cram Company built its reputation on practical, infrastructure-forward cartography, and this sheet distills that ethos with understated elegance. In the early twentieth century, as census tabulations and public works accelerated, Cram’s editors prioritized what travelers, shippers, and salesmen most needed: clear hierarchies of roads, rail and traction lines, and unambiguous county delineations that matched governmental realities. Their South Carolina integrates these priorities seamlessly, marrying meticulous labeling with color logic that reduces complexity without sacrificing detail. The house style favors clean typography, restrained ornament, and an insistence on current improvements—qualities that made Cram a staple in classrooms, glove compartments, and boardrooms alike. Here, those virtues serve a state in transition, translating its rapid infrastructural growth into a map that is both immediately useful and enduringly informative.

Geography is rendered with rare sensitivity. Hachures trace the Blue Ridge’s first upthrusts in the northwest before softening across the rolling Piedmont, then fading to the sandy breaks of the Fall Line and the broad Coastal Plain. A web of rivers—Savannah and Saluda, Broad joining the Congaree, the Santee’s braided courses, the Edisto’s blackwater, the Pee Dee and Waccamaw near the Grand Strand—organizes settlement and transport. Every county is sharply outlined, their seats and principal cities highlighted in green to guide administration and trade. Paved and improved roads are carefully distinguished, revealing the era’s priority corridors snaking from courthouse towns to mills and markets. The reference scale in miles invites practical planning, while the clean legend translates this complexity into a language any 1920 motorist or merchant could instantly read.

Urban and industrial South Carolina steps forward in confident color. Columbia anchors the interior as state capital and railroad nexus; Charleston commands the coast, its harbor tying rice fields and pine forests to the wider Atlantic world. Upstate, Greenville, Spartanburg, and Anderson—the storied “Electric City”—form a textile-powered arc. Florence presides over the Pee Dee’s rail crossroads, while Rock Hill’s mills signal the Catawba’s energy. Summerville and the Lowcountry communities north of Charleston nod to early resort and naval development, and Myrtle Beach appears on the cusp of its seaside future. The red-threaded electric lines spotlight interurban and traction corridors across the Piedmont, while distinct auto-trail colors chart coastal arteries to Savannah and North Carolina and inland routes toward Charlotte and beyond—the precursors of the numbered U.S. highways that would soon rationalize America’s roads.

As a historical document, this map fixes South Carolina in the bright light of 1920, when census counts, county governance, and public investment converged to redraw how people moved and where commerce flowed. Railroads still carried the heaviest loads, but paved and improved roadways were advancing fast, and electrified lines were at their zenith—exactly the triad Cram emphasizes. For researchers, it is a precise guide to county boundaries, population hubs, and the connective tissue between courthouse, mill village, and port; for collectors, it offers the satisfying harmony of color, line, and purposeful design that defined great American cartography between wars. Above all, it captures a living landscape—from Blue Ridge foothills to sea islands—caught at a pivotal moment, when modern mobility began to reimagine an old and storied state.

Cities and towns on this map

• Columbia
• Charleston
• North Charleston
• Greenville
• Spartanburg
• Summerville
• Hilton Head Island
• Florence
• Myrtle Beach
• Rock Hill
• Anderson

Notable Features & Landmarks

• Electric lines highlighted in red.
• Auto trails marked with distinct colors for ease of navigation.
• State roads and highways indicated in red and blue.
• Administrative boundaries outlined using various color codes.
• Principal cities, counties, and capitals highlighted in green.
• Paved and improved roads identified for practical travel use.
• Reference scale indicating the distance in miles.
• Hachured relief for geographical depth.
• Illustrative key for map features.

Historical and design context

• Date of Creation: 1920
• Created By: George F. Cram Company
• Context About the Mapmaker: Chicago-based and known for detailed, practical maps and atlases focused on infrastructure and transportation.
• Themes and Topics: Highlights electric lines, auto trails, and administrative boundaries as both navigational aids and reflections of the era’s infrastructure.
• Themes and Topics: Distinct colors differentiate auto trails, state roads, and highways; principal cities and counties are outlined for user-friendly reference.
• Design and Style: Color-coded scheme for features with hachures for terrain relief to enhance visual depth.
• Historical Significance: Reflects South Carolina’s infrastructure and demographic data from the 1920 census, offering insights for researchers and collectors.

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 50in (125cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please get in touch.

The model in the listing images is holding the 18x24in (45x60cm) 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.

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 5-year guarantee.

Read our full delivery and local production guide

My standard frame is a gallery style black ash hardwood frame. It is simple and quite modern looking. My standard frame is around 20mm (0.8in) wide.

I use super-clear acrylic (perspex/acrylite) for the frame glass. It's lighter and safer than glass - and it looks better, as the reflectivity is lower.

Six standard frame colours are available for free (black, dark brown, dark grey, oak, white and antique gold). Custom framing and mounting/matting is available if you're looking for something else.

Most maps, art and illustrations are also available as a framed canvas. We use matte (not shiny) cotton canvas, stretch it over a sustainably sourced box wood frame, and then 'float' the piece within a wood frame. The end result is quite beautiful, and there's no glazing to get in the way.

All frames are provided "ready to hang", with either a string or brackets on the back. Very large frames will have heavy duty hanging plates and/or a mounting baton. If you have any questions, please get in touch.

See some examples of my framed maps and framed canvas maps.

Alternatively, I can also supply old maps and artwork on canvas, foam board, cotton rag and other materials.

If you want to frame your map or artwork yourself, please read my size guide first.

My maps are extremely high quality reproductions of original maps.

I source original, rare maps from libraries, auction houses and private collections around the world, restore them at my London workshop, and then use specialist giclée inks and printers to create beautiful maps that look even better than the original.

My maps are printed on acid-free archival matte (not glossy) paper that feels very high quality and almost like card. In technical terms the paper weight/thickness is 10mil/200gsm. It's perfect for framing.

I print with Epson ultrachrome giclée UV fade resistant pigment inks - some of the best inks you can find.

I can also make maps on canvas, cotton rag and other exotic materials.

Learn more about The Unique Maps Co.

Map personalisation

If you're looking for the perfect anniversary or housewarming gift, I can personalise your map to make it truly unique. For example, I can add a short message, or highlight an important location, or add your family's coat of arms.

The options are almost infinite. Please see my map personalisation page for some wonderful examples of what's possible.

To order a personalised map, select "personalise your map" before adding it to your basket.

Get in touch if you're looking for more complex customisations and personalisations.

Map ageing

I have been asked hundreds of times over the years by customers if they could buy a map that looks even older.

Well, now you can, by selecting Aged before you add a map to your basket.

All the product photos you see on this page show the map in its Original form. This is what the map looks like today.

If you select Aged, I will age your map by hand, using a special and unique process developed through years of studying old maps, talking to researchers to understand the chemistry of aging paper, and of course... lots of practice!

If you're unsure, stick to the Original colour of the map. If you want something a bit darker and older looking, go for Aged.

See some amazing examples of Aged maps.

If you are not happy with your order for any reason, contact me and I'll get it fixed ASAP, free of charge. Please see my returns and refund policy for more information.

I am very confident you will like your restored map or art print. I have been doing this since 1984. I'm a 5-star Etsy seller. I have sold tens of thousands of maps and art prints and have over 5,000 real 5-star reviews. My work has been featured in interior design magazines, on the BBC, and on the walls of dozens of 5-star hotels.

I use a unique process to restore maps and artwork that is massively time consuming and labour intensive. Hunting down the original maps and illustrations can take months. I use state of the art and eye-wateringly expensive technology to scan and restore them. As a result, I guarantee my maps and art prints are a cut above the rest. I stand by my products and will always make sure you're 100% happy with what you receive.

Almost all of my maps and art prints look amazing at large sizes (200cm, 6.5ft+) and I can frame and deliver them to you as well, via special oversized courier. Contact me to discuss your specific needs.