Published in 1958 from 1947 survey work, the United States Geological Survey’s “La Salle” quadrangle presents a richly detailed mid-century portrait of north-central Illinois at 1:62,500 scale. Centered on the Illinois River valley, it includes Utica, La Salle, Peru, Oglesby, Granville, Dimmick, Westfield, and the evocatively named Mesopotamia, setting these communities within a precise framework of roads, railroads, waterways, fields, and wooded ground. As a USGS topographical map, it is both practical and poetic: contour lines give sculptural form to the land, while the measured grid of latitude and longitude anchors the sheet in the national cartographic system. The result is a meticulous record of place at a moment just before later waves of suburban growth, highway expansion, and industrial change reshaped the region.

The landscape shown here is dominated by the Illinois River, the great organizing feature of the map and of the region’s history. Its bends, floodplain, bluffs, and tributary valleys create the principal drama of the sheet, with Utica and La Salle occupying key positions along this long-used corridor of movement and settlement. The Fox River also appears, tying the mapped area into the wider hydrological network of northern Illinois. Contour lines crowd along the river margins, revealing the steep-sided valleys and upland edges that distinguish this terrain from the flatter agricultural expanses beyond. Fields spread across the higher ground in orderly patterns, while forested areas gather in ravines and along waterways, giving the map a vivid sense of both cultivated order and natural relief.

The towns and transport routes on the “La Salle” quadrangle reflect the layered infrastructure of Illinois in the mid-twentieth century. La Salle, Peru, and Oglesby appear as closely connected river and rail communities, shaped by industry, quarrying, trade, and their access to waterborne and overland routes. Utica, smaller but historically resonant, sits amid a landscape where river bluffs, roads, and rural settlement meet. Route 6 and Route 251 mark important automobile corridors, while the railroad lines trace an older industrial geography of freight, passengers, and regional commerce. The Hennepin Canal, one of Illinois’s notable engineering works, adds another historical thread, recalling an era when canals still promised to knit together inland markets and waterways.

Produced by the United States Geological Survey, the map belongs to one of the most ambitious cartographic enterprises in American history. The USGS, founded in 1879, set out to measure and map the nation’s terrain with scientific rigor, creating sheets that served engineers, planners, geologists, farmers, travelers, and government agencies alike. This “La Salle” sheet exemplifies that tradition: its fine contour intervals translate hills and valleys into readable geometry, while roads, schools, rail lines, watercourses, and settlements are carefully distinguished through standardized symbols and color. The restrained palette—typically separating water, relief, cultural features, and vegetation—allows a remarkable amount of information to remain legible. It is a map designed for use, yet it has the quiet elegance of disciplined observation.

Historically, the map captures a transitional Illinois landscape: still deeply agricultural, still organized around railroads and river towns, yet increasingly tied to modern highways and regional mobility. The presence of parks and forested areas hints at the recreational and conservation value of the Illinois River bluffs, a landscape long admired for its ravines, overlooks, and wooded corridors. Agricultural fields, small settlements, and named rural places such as Dimmick, Westfield, and Mesopotamia preserve a pattern of local identity that can be softened or obscured on later maps. As a mid-century topographic document, “La Salle” offers more than location; it records the relationship between landform and livelihood, showing how geology, water, transportation, and settlement combined to shape this distinctive part of Illinois.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Utica, Illinois
• La Salle, Illinois
• Peru, Illinois
• Oglesby, Illinois
• Granville, Illinois
• Dimmick
• Mesopotamia
• Westfield
• Illinois River
• Fox River
• Hennipin Canal
• Route 251
• Route 6
• Railroad lines
• Various fields and agricultural areas
• Parks and forested areas

Historical context & cartographic details

• Produced by the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
• Historical 1:62,500 topographical map dated 1947, with a 1958 imprint.
• Shows Utica, Illinois and the surrounding area.
• Features a clear grid system indicating latitude and longitude.
• Includes contour lines representing elevation changes in the terrain.
• Uses color to distinguish landforms and water bodies for visual clarity.
• Provides detailed topographic representation of rivers, hills, and valleys.
• Captures the mid-20th-century geographic state of the area before significant modern development and infrastructure changes.

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.