Published in 1952 from 1950 mapping, the US Geological Survey’s “Burdett” quadrangle captures a richly textured portion of New York’s Finger Lakes at a moment when rural roads, lakeside settlements, and scenic resorts were being newly understood through modern topographic science. At 1:24,000 scale, it centers on the country around Watkins Glen, Burdett, and the southern reaches of Seneca Lake, presenting the landscape with the clarity and authority characteristic of mid-century USGS work. The map’s contour lines, relief treatment, and carefully differentiated colors reveal a terrain shaped by glacial history: steep-sided hollows, rolling uplands, descending streams, and the dramatic escarpments that make this region one of the most visually distinctive in upstate New York.

The US Geological Survey, founded in 1879, became the definitive cartographic authority for the American landscape, producing maps that served scientists, engineers, travelers, planners, and the military alike. By the mid-twentieth century, its quadrangle maps had achieved a distinctive aesthetic: precise, restrained, and dense with information, yet elegant in their ordered depiction of land and settlement. In “Burdett,” that approach is especially effective. Contours articulate every rise and ravine; roads and trails thread through farms and wooded slopes; and the measured geometry of survey mapping gives even small communities and unnamed rural routes a quiet importance. This is not merely a navigational document, but a scientific portrait of a working landscape.

Watkins Glen is the map’s great point of cultural and natural interest, lying at the southern end of Seneca Lake where water and rock combine to create one of New York’s celebrated scenic gorges. The surrounding contours hint at the dramatic descent of streams toward the lake and the steep, narrow valleys that define the area. Nearby Montour Falls, Burdett, Reading, Hector, and Hillside appear within a landscape of ridges and hollows, including evocatively named places such as Big Hollow, Little Hollow, Travers Hill, and Harris Hill. These names, scattered across the sheet, speak to a geography known intimately by local residents, farmers, hikers, and travelers moving through the Finger Lakes.

Seneca Lake anchors the broader setting, its long glacial basin forming one of the defining features of the Finger Lakes region. The map shows the terrain rising away from the lake into hilly agricultural country, where elevation changes are not incidental but fundamental to settlement, road placement, drainage, and land use. Towns such as Dundee, Lodi, and Hector connect the map to the wider pattern of lake-country communities, shaped by farming, transportation, and tourism. The finely drawn contours make the region’s glacial origins legible: uplands, valleys, and watercourses appear as part of a coherent natural system. This cartographic precision gives the viewer a vivid sense of how geography directed daily life.

Created just before the great postwar expansion of tourism, infrastructure, and conservation awareness transformed many American scenic landscapes, “Burdett” preserves the Watkins Glen area at a compelling historical threshold. In the years after its publication, recreational access, environmental protection, and regional tourism would become increasingly significant, particularly around Watkins Glen’s gorge and waterfalls. The map therefore offers more than topographic detail; it records a landscape poised between rural continuity and modern development. Its combination of scientific accuracy and visual depth makes it especially appealing to collectors drawn to the Finger Lakes, to New York history, or to the disciplined beauty of USGS cartography at mid-century.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Watkins Glen
• Seneca Lake
• Burdett
• Montour Falls
• Hillside
• Dundee
• Lodi
• Hector
• Reading
• Travers Hill
• Harris Hill
• Big Hollow
• Little Hollow
• Houghton Lake
• Finger Lakes region
• Several unnamed roads and trails

Historical context & cartographic details

• Produced by the US Geological Survey, this historical 1:24,000 topographical map shows Watkins Glen, New York, and the surrounding area.
• The map is dated 1950 and carries a 1952 imprint.
• The USGS is a scientific agency of the U.S. government, known for mapping and studying the nation’s natural resources, hazards, and landscapes.
• Watkins Glen is known for its scenic gorge, waterfalls, and recreational activities.
• The map features contour lines indicating elevation changes.
• A clear color scheme differentiates landforms and vegetation types.
• Hachures and relief shading enhance the topographic features and give the map a three-dimensional feel.
• The terrain shown includes well-defined hills and valleys characteristic of the Finger Lakes region.
• After the map’s publication, tourism, environmental awareness, development, and preservation efforts increasingly shaped the Watkins Glen area.

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.