The U.S. Geological Survey’s “Mercer Island” presents a finely observed 1:24,000 topographical portrait of the Lake Washington corridor, dated 1950 and issued with a 1968 imprint. Centered on Mercer Island and the fast-changing Eastside, the map captures Bellevue, portions of Seattle, Lake Washington, and the surrounding residential and park landscapes at a pivotal moment in the region’s postwar growth. Its original title has a quiet elegance: direct, geographic, and precise, in the tradition of USGS quadrangle mapping. Bright blues define the lake’s intricate shorelines and smaller water bodies, while green parklands and clearly drawn contour lines reveal the undulating terrain that shaped settlement, transportation, and recreation around one of the Pacific Northwest’s most desirable urban waterways.

Produced by the U.S. Geological Survey, the map reflects the institution’s hallmark combination of scientific rigor and understated cartographic beauty. USGS topographic maps were created for practical use—engineering, land planning, navigation, recreation, and research—but they also preserve a remarkably detailed visual record of American landscapes. Here, contour intervals trace hills, ravines, and lowlands with methodical clarity, giving the viewer a tactile sense of the land beneath the city. Roads and highways appear in vivid red, standing out against the softer greens and blues of parks, forests, and water. The result is a map that balances technical precision with a distinctly mid-century graphic character.

Mercer Island itself sits as the map’s natural centerpiece, elongated between the broad western and eastern arms of Lake Washington. Its shoreline is carefully articulated, with named points such as Coleman Point and South Point anchoring the island’s geography. Across the water, Seattle appears to the west, while Bellevue occupies the eastern shore, still visibly shaped by residential neighborhoods, local roads, and open spaces rather than the dense skyline now associated with the city. Parks, smaller lakes, and waterways punctuate the terrain, giving the map a layered quality: part urban document, part environmental study, part record of the intimate relationship between settlement and water.

Historically, this map is especially evocative because it records Bellevue and Mercer Island before the full force of late twentieth-century metropolitan expansion transformed the Eastside. The Lake Washington crossings had already begun to reorganize regional movement, linking Seattle with Mercer Island and Bellevue and accelerating suburban growth. Yet the landscape shown here still retains the spacing, green breaks, and shoreline settlement patterns of an earlier era. The red road network reveals the emerging framework of modern mobility, while the contours and parklands recall the natural topography that continued to guide development. For collectors, it offers a compelling snapshot of a region on the threshold of dramatic change.

The visual appeal of the “Mercer Island” quadrangle lies in its fusion of disciplined survey work and richly legible design. Elevation changes ripple across the sheet in fine contour lines, making the hills and depressions around Lake Washington immediately intelligible. Blues give the lake and smaller water bodies a cool brilliance, while greens emphasize parks and vegetated areas, softening the urban grid. Bellevue, Seattle, Mercer Island, roads, residential districts, points, parks, and waterways all coexist in a composition that is both functional and quietly beautiful. As a historical topographic map, it preserves not only place names and infrastructure, but the lived geography of a mid-century Pacific Northwest landscape.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Bellevue
• Seattle
• Mercer Island
• Lake Washington
• South Puget Sound
• Great Park
• Kampala
• Coleman Point
• South Point
• Various Parks
• Roads and Highways indicated with red lines
• Contour lines indicating elevation changes
• Multiple smaller water bodies and lakes
• Residential areas and neighborhoods

Historical context & cartographic details

• Produced by the U.S. Geological Survey
• Historical 1:24,000 topographical map
• Dated 1950 with a 1968 imprint
• Shows Bellevue, Washington and the surrounding area
• Uses bright greens and blues to distinguish landforms and water bodies
• Clearly marked contour lines emphasize hills, depressions, and terrain variation
• Reflects mid-20th-century land use patterns, natural features, and urban development
• Valuable as a snapshot of an area later changed by growth and environmental transformation

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.