Published with a 1984 imprint from 1963 topographic data, “Cleveland South” presents the southern reaches of Cleveland, Ohio, at a moment when the metropolitan area was expanding, modernizing, and being reshaped by highways, industry, and suburban growth. Created by the U.S. Geological Survey, the map belongs to the celebrated 1:24,000 quadrangle series, a scale prized for its balance of broad regional context and fine local detail. It captures Cleveland not as an abstract city plan, but as a living landscape: streets, rail lines, rivers, parks, neighborhoods, and contours all interwoven. The result is a richly informative portrait of a Midwestern urban region in transition, where older industrial corridors meet postwar residential development and the natural terrain remains legible beneath the city grid.

The U.S. Geological Survey brought to this map the precision and clarity that made its topographic quadrangles indispensable to planners, engineers, geologists, hikers, and historians. Established in 1879, the USGS became the national authority for mapping the physical character of the United States, translating field surveys, aerial photography, and geodetic control into elegant, standardized cartography. In “Cleveland South,” that institutional discipline is evident in the careful contouring, clear symbology, and refined color hierarchy. Roads, built-up areas, watercourses, and relief are all presented with remarkable legibility. The familiar USGS palette—subtle browns for contours, blues for water, greens for parkland, and strong linework for transportation—creates a map that is both utilitarian and quietly beautiful.

Geographically, the map reveals Cleveland’s complex relationship with water, industry, and terrain. Lake Erie lies to the north beyond the urban core, while the Cuyahoga River, one of the defining waterways of northeastern Ohio, threads through a landscape long shaped by commerce and manufacturing. The river valley and associated industrial areas are especially significant, recalling Cleveland’s role as a powerhouse of steel, shipping, rail transport, and heavy industry. Neighborhoods such as Tremont and corridors around Kinsman Road appear within a dense urban fabric of streets and infrastructure. The map also marks major routes, including Interstate 90 and Highway 71, showing how the automobile age imposed new geometries across older patterns of settlement, trade, and daily life.

Beyond the central city, “Cleveland South” documents the metropolitan mosaic of suburbs, parklands, and residential neighborhoods that defined the region’s postwar evolution. Communities such as Shaker Heights, Euclid, Parma, Bedford, Brooklyn, Westlake, and Chagrin Falls evoke the varied social and geographic character of Greater Cleveland, from planned garden-suburb elegance to industrial-edge towns and expanding commuter districts. The Cleveland Metroparks system is one of the map’s most compelling features, its green corridors preserving ravines, river valleys, and woodland amid the urbanized surroundings. Brecksville Reservation and the Rocky River landscape point to a regional ideal in which recreation, conservation, and civic planning were deliberately woven into the growth of the city and its suburbs.

The topographic character of the sheet is especially rewarding, reminding the viewer that Cleveland is not merely a flat lakeside city but a terrain of valleys, slopes, uplands, and stream-cut ravines. Contour lines describe subtle elevation changes across residential districts, industrial zones, and park reservations, revealing the hidden structure beneath streets and buildings. This makes the map valuable not only as a record of roads and neighborhoods, but as a study of how geology and settlement interact. Seen today, “Cleveland South” offers a layered historical document: a snapshot of 1960s urban form, a record of transportation and infrastructure before later transformations, and a beautifully organized topographic vision of one of the Great Lakes’ most important cities.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Cleveland, Ohio
• Lake Erie
• Cuyahoga River
• Shaker Heights
• Euclid
• Parma
• Bedford
• Westlake
• Tremont
• Kinsman Road
• Interstate 90
• Highway 71
• Cleveland Metroparks
• Brecksville Reservation
• Rocky River
• Brooklyn
• Chagrin Falls
• South Park
• Industrial areas
• Residential neighborhoods

Historical context & cartographic details

• Historical 1:24,000 topographical map titled Cleveland South
• Produced by the U.S. Geological Survey
• Dated 1963 with a 1984 imprint
• Shows Cleveland and the surrounding area during a period of significant urban development
• Reflects the USGS legacy of detailed, precise topographical mapping for planning, environmental study, and recreation
• Features a distinct USGS color scheme, with shades indicating elevation and land use
• Clearly delineates roads and urban areas for practical readability
• Uses contour lines to show elevation changes and geographic features
• Provides insight into Cleveland’s development during the 1960s and the transformation of urban growth 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.