Published in 1952 from 1950 survey work, the United States Geological Survey’s “Cedar City” presents a finely observed portrait of southwestern Utah at mid-century. Drawn at the detailed 1:24,000 scale, the map centers on Cedar City and its immediate surroundings, rendering the town not as an isolated settlement but as part of a broader landscape of valleys, slopes, roads, trails, watercourses, and upland terrain. This was a moment when Cedar City was growing in importance as an agricultural and regional service center, while also becoming increasingly associated with travel into Utah’s spectacular canyon country. The map captures that balance beautifully: a practical working town set against a rugged natural stage of hills, washes, and rising ground.

The map was created by the United States Geological Survey, whose topographic sheets became the standard reference for understanding American terrain in the twentieth century. USGS mapping combined field survey, scientific measurement, and disciplined graphic design, producing maps that served engineers, geologists, land managers, motorists, hikers, and local planners alike. In “Cedar City,” that institutional clarity is evident in the precise symbology, measured lettering, and systematic use of contour lines. Every road, drainage, and elevation change is integrated into a coherent visual language. The result is more than a navigational aid: it is a carefully structured scientific document, reflecting the USGS mission to make the physical character of the nation legible, useful, and enduring.

Cedar City occupies a distinctive setting, and this map makes that geography immediately apparent. Contour lines gather and spread across the sheet, revealing the hilly and mountainous country that frames the settlement and the adjacent valleys. Their rhythm gives the terrain a sculptural quality, allowing the viewer to sense gradients, ridgelines, hollows, and the broader descent of the land. Nearby features such as The Cottonwoods, local watercourses, and the road and trail network anchor the human geography within the landforms around it. The standardized colors and symbols distinguish routes, vegetation, drainage, and developed areas, making the map unusually rich in environmental information while retaining the crisp restraint characteristic of mid-century federal cartography.

Historically, the map belongs to a fascinating period in Cedar City’s development. By the early 1950s, the community was linked to agriculture, regional commerce, education, and a rising culture of automobile tourism. Its location made it a natural gateway to some of southern Utah’s most celebrated landscapes, including the canyonlands associated with Zion and Bryce Canyon. Although those famous parks lie beyond the immediate focus of the sheet, the map helps explain Cedar City’s strategic importance: roads and terrain converge here, and the town sits at the threshold between settled valleys and dramatic uplands. It records a landscape in transition, where local livelihoods and expanding recreational travel met the enduring forms of the Colorado Plateau region.

As a topographic composition, “Cedar City” is compelling because it invites both close inspection and broad historical reflection. The town plan, surrounding routes, nearby natural features, and carefully drawn relief together form a mid-century snapshot of place, showing how people moved through and inhabited this part of Utah. At the same time, the land itself dominates the visual story. The hills and valleys, indicated through dense and graceful contouring, remind us that Cedar City’s history has always been shaped by its physical setting. This USGS map preserves that relationship with elegant precision: a measured portrait of a community, its approaches, and the rugged southwestern Utah landscape that defined its prospects.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Cedar City
• The Cottonwoods
• Roads and trails
• Nearby rivers
• Adjacent valleys and hills
• Designated forest areas and parks
• Surrounding natural landscapes and terrain

Historical context & cartographic details

• Historical 1:24,000 topographical map of Cedar City, Utah and the surrounding area.
• Dated 1950, with a 1952 imprint.
• Created by the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
• Features contour lines indicating elevation and giving a three-dimensional sense of the terrain.
• Uses standardized symbols and colors to show land use, vegetation, and water bodies.
• Shows the mountainous and hilly terrain typical of the Cedar City region.
• Represents a snapshot of the area in the early 1950s, during a period of growth for Cedar City as a center for agriculture and tourism.
• Reflects Cedar City’s role as a gateway for outdoor tourism, including travel toward nearby national parks such as Zion and Bryce Canyon.

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.