{"product_id":"old-map-of-manhattan-new-york-by-usgs-1947-central-park-upper-east-side-upper-west-side","title":"Old Map of Manhattan, New York by USGS, 1947 – Central Park, Upper East Side \u0026 Upper West Side","description":"\u003cp\u003eTitled “Central Park” and dated 1947, this U.S. Geological Survey topographical map presents Manhattan’s great urban landscape at a revealing postwar moment. At a scale of 1:24,000, it focuses on Central Park and its surrounding neighborhoods, including the Upper East Side, Upper West Side, and the gridded avenues and cross streets that define northern Manhattan. The map belongs to the USGS tradition of precise civic and environmental observation: water is rendered in blue, built-up land and open ground are clearly differentiated, and contour lines trace subtle changes in elevation. In a city often imagined vertically through towers and skylines, this map restores attention to the ground itself—the ridges, slopes, waterways, parklands, and engineered terrain beneath New York’s urban fabric.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe mapmaker, the United States Geological Survey, was established in 1879 to study and map the nation’s lands, resources, and natural hazards. By the mid-twentieth century, its topographic quadrangles had become indispensable tools for planners, engineers, scientists, and public agencies, combining field survey, standardized symbology, and meticulous drafting. This 1947 Central Park sheet reflects that institutional clarity: it is neither a tourist view nor a decorative city plan, but a scientific portrait of Manhattan’s terrain and infrastructure. Yet its restraint is part of its appeal. The USGS style reveals New York as a landscape shaped by geology, water, and human design, with the formality of Fifth Avenue, Broadway, Park Avenue, and Riverside Park set against the softer, contoured interior of Central Park.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCentral Park is the map’s natural and symbolic center, shown not simply as a green void within the city, but as a varied topographical composition. Contour lines pick out the park’s subtle hills, hollows, and rocky rises, reminding the viewer that Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux’s famous landscape design worked with, reshaped, and dramatized Manhattan’s terrain. The Lake, the Ramble, and Belvedere Castle’s high ground all gain geographic meaning through the map’s relief detail. Even familiar places acquire a new character when viewed topographically: meadows, paths, waters, and wooded passages become part of a carefully orchestrated physical landscape. The area later associated with Strawberry Fields lies within this western side of the park, here captured before its later commemorative identity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAround the park, the map records the great urban frame of Manhattan. To the east, the Upper East Side stretches toward the East River, its avenues and blocks suggesting density, order, and established metropolitan life. To the west, the Upper West Side descends toward Riverside Park and the Hudson River, where the city’s edge opens to a broad watery corridor. Central Park South, Fifth Avenue, Broadway, and Park Avenue anchor the map in the language of New York prestige and movement, while smaller streets and marked buildings evoke the everyday workings of the city. The Hudson, East, and Harlem Rivers define Manhattan as an island, giving the map a strong geographical logic beneath the apparent complexity of its streets.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCreated just after the Second World War, the map captures Manhattan during a period of transition, before many later waves of redevelopment, transportation change, and urban renewal altered the city’s fabric. In 1947, New York stood at the height of its global influence, a financial, cultural, and diplomatic capital emerging into the modern postwar era. This sheet preserves the balance between dense urban development and monumental public landscape, showing Central Park as both refuge and infrastructure—an essential open space embedded within one of the world’s most intensively built environments. Its combination of scientific accuracy and historical atmosphere makes it a compelling document of mid-century Manhattan, where rivers, ridgelines, avenues, and parklands together tell the story of the city’s enduring form.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eCities, towns and places on this map\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCentral Park\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHarlem River\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEast River\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHudson River\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUpper East Side\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUpper West Side\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eManhattan\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFifth Avenue\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCentral Park South\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRiverside Park\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Lake\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Ramble\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStrawberry Fields\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBelvedere Castle\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBroadway\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePark Avenue\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLandmarks and buildings marked in the vicinity of Central Park\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eHistorical context \u0026amp; cartographic details\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTitled \u003cstrong\u003e“Central Park”\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProduced by the \u003cstrong\u003eU.S. Geological Survey (USGS)\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDated \u003cstrong\u003e1947\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHistorical \u003cstrong\u003e1:24,000 topographical map\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe USGS is a scientific agency of the U.S. government, established in \u003cstrong\u003e1879\u003c\/strong\u003e, focused on mapping natural resources and natural hazards.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUses a classic USGS topographical color scheme, with water bodies shown in blue and land shaded to indicate elevation.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIncludes contour lines to show terrain changes, especially within Central Park.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWater features are prominently marked, including rivers and lakes.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCaptures Manhattan in the post-WWII period, showing a blend of urban development and natural spaces.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProvides insight into infrastructure, urbanization, and how the area has changed over time.\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=\"\/es\/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=\"\/es\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003eget in touch\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe model in the listing images is holding the 18x24in (45x60cm) 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=\"\/es\/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=\"\/es\/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":58802325586304,"sku":null,"price":83.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":58802325619072,"sku":null,"price":223.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Framed canvas map","offer_id":58802325651840,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Map","offer_id":58802325684608,"sku":null,"price":83.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":58802325717376,"sku":null,"price":223.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Framed canvas 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