{"product_id":"old-map-of-yosemite-national-park-california-by-usgs-1956-hetch-hetchy-reservoir-tuolumne-meadows-half-dome","title":"Old Map of Yosemite National Park, California by USGS, 1956 – Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, Tuolumne Meadows \u0026 Half Dome","description":"\u003cp\u003ePublished in 1960 from 1956 survey and compilation work, “Hetch Hetchy Reservoir” is a refined U.S. Geological Survey topographical portrait of one of California’s most dramatic mountain landscapes. At a 1:62,500 scale, it presents Yosemite National Park and its surrounding Sierra Nevada terrain with the crisp authority for which the USGS is renowned. The title foregrounds Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, a monumental feature in both engineering and environmental history, while the wider sheet embraces a world of granite domes, alpine basins, river canyons, meadows, and high ridgelines. Its careful contouring and green vegetation tinting give the map a vivid sense of relief, revealing the immense vertical drama that defines Yosemite.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe U.S. Geological Survey brought a distinctive scientific precision to maps such as this, balancing practical navigation with a deeper visual understanding of American terrain. Founded in the late nineteenth century, the USGS became the nation’s essential authority for mapping mountains, rivers, mineral lands, forests, and settlements. In this Yosemite sheet, that institutional discipline is evident in the dense web of contour lines, the measured depiction of waterways, and the careful differentiation of wooded lower elevations from the starker alpine heights. The result is more than a utilitarian document: it is a mid-century geographic record of a protected landscape whose wilderness, infrastructure, and scientific importance were all being carefully measured and managed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHetch Hetchy itself gives the map its historical resonance. Once a glacial valley often compared to Yosemite Valley, it was dammed in the early twentieth century to create a reservoir supplying water to San Francisco and the Bay Area. By the time this map was published, the reservoir had become a defining symbol of mid-century resource management: a place where wilderness preservation, urban growth, and public engineering converged. The mapped waters of Hetch Hetchy sit amid steep Sierra walls and branching drainages, making the reservoir appear both natural and profoundly altered. Its presence anchors the sheet in one of the most consequential debates in American conservation history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeyond Hetch Hetchy, the map opens onto the celebrated geography of Yosemite National Park. Names such as Tuolumne Meadows, Tenaya Lake, the Merced River, El Capitan, Half Dome, Glacier Point, and Little Yosemite Valley evoke some of the most iconic scenery in North America. The contours around Half Dome and Glacier Point articulate the famous granite architecture of Yosemite, while the river courses trace the erosive forces that carved its valleys and waterfalls. Tuolumne Meadows and Tenaya Lake introduce a more open, high-country character, suggesting alpine light, seasonal snowmelt, and broad subalpine expanses. The map’s topography elegantly links these landmarks into one continuous mountain system.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe sheet’s cartographic beauty lies in how clearly it communicates ruggedness. Tight contour intervals gather around cliffs, peaks, and canyon walls, while gentler spacing marks meadows, valleys, and plateaus. Mount Lyell and Red Peak stand among the high Sierra features that demonstrate the region’s elevation and glacial legacy, with waterways such as the Tuolumne and Merced Rivers threading through the terrain. Green shading gives the lower and forested areas a living texture, contrasting with the sharper linework of exposed high country. Trails and remote forested areas hint at exploration beyond the famous viewpoints, making this map a compelling record of Yosemite as both a revered wilderness and a carefully charted landscape.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eCities, towns and places on this map\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYosemite National Park\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHetch Hetchy Reservoir\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTuolumne Meadows\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTenaya Lake\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMerced River\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEl Capitan\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHalf Dome\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMount Lyell\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGlacier Point\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTuolumne River\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRed Peak\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLittle Yosemite Valley\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eVarious unnamed trails and forested areas\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eHistorical context \u0026amp; cartographic details\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProduced by the U.S. Geological Survey as a historical 1:62,500 topographical map of Yosemite and the surrounding California Sierra Nevada region.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDated 1956 and published with a 1960 imprint.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePublished by the U.S. Geological Survey, known for comprehensive mapping, geographic data, and scientific survey work in the United States.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUses green shading to show vegetation and lower-elevation areas.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEmploys contour lines to illustrate elevation changes and landforms.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDepicts the rugged, varied terrain of the Sierra Nevada mountains.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReflects the mid-20th-century importance of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir as a water supply source for San Francisco.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHighlights infrastructure, resource management, and conservation-era geography in and around Yosemite.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLooking for a particular place?\u003c\/strong\u003e Review the detailed images to confirm that the town, landmark or feature you have in mind appears on the map. If you are unsure, \u003ca target=\"”_blank”\" href=\"\/de\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003eask our workshop to check before you order\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDetailed 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 50in (125cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please \u003ca href=\"\/de\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003eget in touch\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe model in the listing images is holding the 16x20in (40x50cm) version of this map.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhere personalisation is available, you can add a short title or dedication, mark one meaningful place, or request one considered visual detail. \u003ca target=\"”_blank”\" href=\"\/de\/pages\/map-personalisation\"\u003eSee personalised map examples\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEvery 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWith 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 \u003ca target=\"”_blank”\" href=\"\/de\/collections\/all-old-vintage-antique-maps\"\u003erare old and vintage maps\u003c\/a\u003e to discover another place, period or style.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Unique Maps Co.","offers":[{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Map","offer_id":59894193193344,"sku":null,"price":83.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":59894193226112,"sku":null,"price":223.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Framed canvas map","offer_id":59894193258880,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Map","offer_id":59894193291648,"sku":null,"price":83.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":59894193324416,"sku":null,"price":223.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Framed canvas 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