Published in 1967 from 1950 survey data, the US Geological Survey’s “Kirkland” presents the eastern shore of Lake Washington at a revealing moment in the region’s modern transformation. At the precise 1:24,000 scale, the map brings together the populated place of Kirkland with neighboring communities including Houghton, Juanita, Bellevue, Redmond, Woodinville, and Seattle’s Sand Point across the water. The lag between survey and imprint date gives the sheet particular historical interest: it preserves the landscape and infrastructure patterns of mid-century King County while appearing at the dawn of the Eastside’s rapid suburban expansion. Roads, shorelines, creeks, parks, and elevations are organized with the disciplined clarity characteristic of USGS topographical work.

The map’s design is both practical and quietly elegant, using the familiar USGS language of contour lines, water tints, green vegetation overlays, and carefully weighted place names. Lake Washington forms the dominant geographic presence, its broad blue expanse shaping settlement, transport, and visual orientation across the sheet. Smaller waters such as Forbes Lake, Totem Lake, and Youngs Lake add texture to the inland terrain, while Peters Creek and other drainage lines trace the subtle movement of water through valleys and wooded slopes. The contouring is especially valuable, revealing how Kirkland’s neighborhoods rise from the shoreline toward Finn Hill, Everest, and the rolling uplands that separate the lakefront from the interior plateau.

Kirkland itself appears not as a mere suburb, but as a lakeside community defined by coves, points, roads, and terrain. Waverly Park, Carillon Point, and the shoreline districts facing Lake Washington evoke the area’s long relationship with ferry landings, waterfront industry, residential enclaves, and recreational access. To the south, Houghton and Yarrow Point mark the chain of communities that would become increasingly connected to Bellevue and Seattle. Evergreen Point and State Route 520 are especially evocative in this context, symbolizing the emerging cross-lake corridor that would reshape commuting, commerce, and land values throughout the Eastside during the second half of the twentieth century.

Beyond the urban grid, the map records a landscape still rich in forests, ravines, and open land. Bridle Trails State Park stands out as a preserved green block amid developing communities, its presence hinting at the tension between suburban growth and the protection of natural space. Finn Hill and the unnamed valleys and slopes around Juanita and Totem Lake show the uneven topography that influenced road alignments, housing patterns, and neighborhood boundaries. The USGS treatment of vegetation and relief gives these areas a tactile quality, making it possible to read the land beneath the later city: ridgelines, lowlands, wet areas, and the wooded corridors that shaped everyday movement.

As a historical document, “Kirkland” captures the Eastside before it became one of the defining technology and residential corridors of the Pacific Northwest. The proximity of Redmond, Woodinville, Bellevue, Kirkland, and Seattle is visible, yet their future integration into a dense metropolitan network was still unfolding. NE 85th Street, lake crossings, shoreline roads, and the spacing of populated places all suggest a region in transition from small towns and semi-rural districts to an interconnected suburban landscape. Produced by the US Geological Survey, whose maps were indispensable for planning, engineering, recreation, and scientific study, this sheet offers a richly detailed portrait of place, terrain, and possibility.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Kirkland
• Seattle
• Juanita
• Houghton
• Lake Washington
• Forbes Lake
• Finn Hill
• Everest
• Bridle Trails State Park
• Carillon Point
• Peters Creek
• Yarrow Point
• Bellevue
• Totem Lake
• Woodinville
• Redmond
• Evergreen Point
• Sand Point
• NE 85th Street
• State Route 520
• Youngs Lake
• Waverly Park
• Water bodies and rivers
• Several unnamed valleys and hills

Historical context & cartographic details

• Historical topographical map of Kirkland, Washington and the surrounding area.
• Produced by the US Geological Survey.
• Based on data from 1950 and published in 1967.
• Drawn at a scale of 1:24,000.
• Shows Kirkland along with nearby regions and natural features.
• Uses a distinct color scheme to emphasize greenery and terrain.
• Depicts elevation changes through shading and contour lines.
• Incorporates detailed elevation data, water bodies, and vegetation types.
• Clearly distinguishes urban landscapes from natural landscapes.
• Reflects mid-20th-century land use and infrastructure in Kirkland.
• Provides insight into urban expansion and changes in land development 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 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.