Published in 1988 from data collected in 1986, the US Geological Survey’s “Bridgeport” is a finely resolved 1:100,000 topographical portrait of the New York–Connecticut borderlands and the coastal country facing Long Island Sound. Centered on a region where metropolitan New York begins to loosen into wooded ridges, reservoirs, commuter towns, and shoreline cities, the map captures a late twentieth-century landscape in the midst of suburban maturity. Armonk, Bedford, North Castle, White Plains, Greenwich, Stamford, Norwalk, and Weston appear within a carefully ordered web of roads, rivers, municipal boundaries, and terrain. The result is both an instrument of scientific precision and a historical document, preserving the geography of an affluent, strategically placed corridor at a particular moment in its development.

The US Geological Survey brought to this map more than a century of institutional expertise in measuring and representing the American landscape. Founded in 1879, the USGS became synonymous with rigorous topographic mapping, creating sheets used by engineers, planners, geologists, conservationists, and travelers alike. In “Bridgeport,” that scientific tradition is evident in the disciplined hierarchy of information: roads are rendered in fine, legible lines; waterways trace delicate blue courses through valleys and wetlands; contours articulate the subtle rise and fall of the land. The soft pastel palette gives the map a restrained elegance, allowing elevation, settlement, and infrastructure to be read at once. It is cartography designed not merely to show places, but to explain how they relate.

The topographic character of the sheet is especially compelling. This is a landscape of glacially shaped hills, wooded uplands, river valleys, and low coastal plains descending toward Long Island Sound. Contour lines reveal the undulating terrain around Armonk, North Castle, Bedford, and Weston, where residential roads often follow ridgelines or curve around ponds, marshes, and rocky slopes. The Croton River and Mianus River systems help organize the inland geography, while numerous unnamed lakes and ponds punctuate the map with signs of both natural drainage and suburban amenity. The shoreline cities of Stamford and Norwalk, by contrast, suggest a denser coastal world, tied historically to trade, industry, transport, and the broader economy of the Sound.

Armonk, New York, appears here as part of the prosperous northern Westchester landscape, close enough to New York City to serve commuters, yet set amid wooded estates, institutional campuses, and carefully managed suburban growth. Nearby White Plains anchors the regional network as a major commercial and administrative center, while New Castle, Bedford, and North Castle mark the transition into quieter, more spacious terrain. Across the state line, Greenwich and Stamford indicate Connecticut’s powerful connection to the New York metropolitan orbit, combining historic town centers, corporate districts, and residential enclaves. Interstate 95 along the coast and Route 684 inland are more than transportation features; they are the structural arteries of late twentieth-century suburban expansion.

Weston, Connecticut, gives the map one of its most evocative contrasts: an affluent, low-density community defined by forested roads, reserved land, and proximity to the cultural and economic life of the coast. Parks and recreational areas throughout the region underscore the balance between development and conservation that became increasingly important in the postwar decades. Seen today, the 1986 geography recorded on this 1988 imprint offers a valuable snapshot of land use before later waves of redevelopment, infrastructure change, and environmental planning altered the region further. “Bridgeport” is therefore not only a technical achievement of USGS mapping, but a richly layered record of suburban identity, natural form, and metropolitan growth at the edge of New York and New England.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Armonk, NY
• Weston, CT
• North Castle, NY
• Bedford, NY
• Greenwich, CT
• White Plains, NY
• New Castle, NY
• Stamford, CT
• Norwalk, CT
• Long Island Sound
• Croton River
• Mianus River
• Several unnamed lakes and ponds
• Route 684
• Interstate 95
• Various local roads and highways
• Parks and recreational areas within the region

Historical context & cartographic details

• Produced by the US Geological Survey
• Historical 1:100,000 topographical map
• Created from data collected in 1986 and published in 1988
• The USGS is known for comprehensive scientific survey data used in fields including geology, biology, and hydrology
• Uses a distinct color palette with soft pastel shades to depict elevation and topography
• Fine lines detail roads and waterways, reflecting the accuracy and precision typical of USGS mapping
• Includes contour lines and shading to indicate elevation changes and the area’s undulating terrain
• Provides a snapshot of late 20th-century land use and development
• Serves as a historical document for understanding suburban growth and geographic change over time

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 36x24in (90x60cm) 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.