Map of Palmer, Alaska by USGS, 1992 – Wasilla, Matanuska River & Knik Glacier
Restored in our London workshop from the original 1992 map and printed to museum-grade archival standards. Full description
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Choose two eligible works and receive 20% off both. Choose three and the lowest-priced one is complimentary, a maximum saving of 33%.
Mix and match eligible standard maps and fine-art prints. No code is required; the offer is applied automatically at checkout.
Standard made-to-order configurations are included. Bespoke sizes, personalised designs and commissioned work are excluded.
Need delivery to different addresses? Contact us before ordering.The Collector’s Offer
Choose two eligible works and receive 20% off both. Choose three and the lowest-priced one is complimentary, a maximum saving of 33%.
Mix and match eligible standard maps and fine-art prints. No code is required; the offer is applied automatically at checkout.
Standard made-to-order configurations are included. Bespoke sizes, personalised designs and commissioned work are excluded.
Need delivery to different addresses? Contact us before ordering.
Restored in London • Printed and framed in Australia
Restored from the original 1992 map and printed to museum-grade archival standards. Full description
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Gift message & custom finish
If you want to add a gift message, or a finish (jigsaw, aluminium board, etc.) that is not available here, please request it in the "order note" when you check out.
Every order is custom made, so if you need the size adjusted slightly, or printed on an unusual material, just let us know. We've done thousands of custom orders over the years, so there's (almost) nothing we can't manage.
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Published in 1992 by the United States Geological Survey, “Anchorage C-6 SW” is a finely detailed 1:25,000 topographical map centered on Palmer,...
Continue readingPublished in 1992 by the United States Geological Survey, “Anchorage C-6 SW” is a finely detailed 1:25,000 topographical map centered on Palmer, Alaska, and the richly varied country around it. The title itself situates the sheet within the systematic USGS quadrangle grid, linking this local landscape to a national project of scientific mapping. Here, the Matanuska-Susitna Valley is rendered with the precision characteristic of late twentieth-century topographic cartography: contour lines trace the rise and fall of the land, watercourses cut through lowlands, and cultural features are carefully distinguished from forests, trails, highways, and settlement. The result is a compelling portrait of a region where human occupation meets one of Alaska’s most dramatic natural settings.
The mapmaker, the US Geological Survey, brings considerable authority to this landscape. Established in 1879, the USGS became one of the United States’ most important scientific institutions, charged with studying the nation’s terrain, mineral resources, water systems, and changing geography. Its topographic maps are prized not only for practical accuracy, but also for the way they record a moment in the evolving relationship between land and people. In “Anchorage C-6 SW,” that mission is evident in the disciplined symbology, measured contours, and clear depiction of both natural and built environments. Roads, trails, lakes, wooded areas, and relief are integrated into a coherent visual language, offering an unusually intimate understanding of the Alaskan interior near Palmer.
Palmer appears here as the central human landmark, a city deeply associated with Alaska’s agricultural history. Founded and shaped in part by New Deal-era colonization efforts in the 1930s, Palmer became a remarkable experiment in northern farming, set within the fertile soils of the Matanuska Valley. The surrounding map area evokes that dual identity: part frontier settlement, part cultivated landscape, and part wilderness threshold. Nearby Wasilla, Finger Lake, and Lake Lucille broaden the regional story, placing Palmer within the growing Matanuska-Susitna Borough. The Parks Highway and Glenn Highway trace vital lines of movement through the area, reminding the viewer that Alaska’s vastness is often understood through a sparse but consequential network of roads and routes.
The topographic character of the sheet is especially compelling, capturing the mountainous and glacially influenced terrain typical of south-central Alaska. Lazy Mountain, Pioneer Peak, Hatcher Pass, and Hatcher Pass Summit suggest the dramatic verticality surrounding the valley, while the Knik and Matanuska Rivers carve powerful corridors through the landscape. The presence of Knik Glacier links the mapped area to the enduring force of ice, a defining agent in Alaska’s geology and scenery. Contour lines and color-coded relief give the terrain a sculptural quality, transforming elevation into visual rhythm. Valleys, slopes, river flats, and upland forests emerge with clarity, revealing a place shaped by tectonics, weather, water, and ice.
As a 1992 document, “Anchorage C-6 SW” preserves a valuable snapshot of land use, access, and environmental knowledge at the end of the twentieth century. The mapped trails, designated paths, forested areas, highways, lakes, rivers, and settlements collectively record how residents and visitors navigated a landscape balancing development with remoteness. Since then, the Matanuska-Susitna Valley has experienced growth, shifting infrastructure, and environmental change, giving this map a quiet historical resonance. It shows Palmer and its surroundings before later layers of expansion fully altered the region’s visual and geographic character. For collectors, it offers more than topography: it is a measured, beautifully organized record of Alaska’s living terrain at a particular moment in modern history.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Palmer
- Wasilla
- Knik River
- Matanuska River
- Finger Lake
- Lake Lucille
- Lazy Mountain
- Hatcher Pass
- Hatcher Pass Summit
- Knik Glacier
- Pioneer Peak
- Matanuska-Susitna Valley
- Parks Highway
- Glenn Highway
- Trails / designated paths
- Forested areas depicted on the map
Historical context & cartographic details
- Produced by the US Geological Survey as a historical 1:25,000 topographical map.
- Created in 1992.
- Published by the US Geological Survey, an important American mapping and geological research body established in 1879.
- Features detailed contour lines showing elevation changes.
- Uses symbols to identify physical and cultural features.
- Includes color-coded relief to make the terrain easier to interpret visually.
- Shows mountainous and varied Alaskan terrain, including water bodies and valleys.
- Represents a snapshot of land use and geographical understanding in 1992.
- Later urban development and environmental change may have altered parts of the landscape shown.
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.
Published in 1992 by the United States Geological Survey, “Anchorage C-6 SW” is a finely detailed 1:25,000 topographical map centered on Palmer, Alaska, and the richly varied country around it. The title itself situates the sheet within the systematic USGS quadrangle grid, linking this local landscape to a national project of scientific mapping. Here, the Matanuska-Susitna Valley is rendered with the precision characteristic of late twentieth-century topographic cartography: contour lines trace the rise and fall of the land, watercourses cut through lowlands, and cultural features are carefully distinguished from forests, trails, highways, and settlement. The result is a compelling portrait of a region where human occupation meets one of Alaska’s most dramatic natural settings.
The mapmaker, the US Geological Survey, brings considerable authority to this landscape. Established in 1879, the USGS became one of the United States’ most important scientific institutions, charged with studying the nation’s terrain, mineral resources, water systems, and changing geography. Its topographic maps are prized not only for practical accuracy, but also for the way they record a moment in the evolving relationship between land and people. In “Anchorage C-6 SW,” that mission is evident in the disciplined symbology, measured contours, and clear depiction of both natural and built environments. Roads, trails, lakes, wooded areas, and relief are integrated into a coherent visual language, offering an unusually intimate understanding of the Alaskan interior near Palmer.
Palmer appears here as the central human landmark, a city deeply associated with Alaska’s agricultural history. Founded and shaped in part by New Deal-era colonization efforts in the 1930s, Palmer became a remarkable experiment in northern farming, set within the fertile soils of the Matanuska Valley. The surrounding map area evokes that dual identity: part frontier settlement, part cultivated landscape, and part wilderness threshold. Nearby Wasilla, Finger Lake, and Lake Lucille broaden the regional story, placing Palmer within the growing Matanuska-Susitna Borough. The Parks Highway and Glenn Highway trace vital lines of movement through the area, reminding the viewer that Alaska’s vastness is often understood through a sparse but consequential network of roads and routes.
The topographic character of the sheet is especially compelling, capturing the mountainous and glacially influenced terrain typical of south-central Alaska. Lazy Mountain, Pioneer Peak, Hatcher Pass, and Hatcher Pass Summit suggest the dramatic verticality surrounding the valley, while the Knik and Matanuska Rivers carve powerful corridors through the landscape. The presence of Knik Glacier links the mapped area to the enduring force of ice, a defining agent in Alaska’s geology and scenery. Contour lines and color-coded relief give the terrain a sculptural quality, transforming elevation into visual rhythm. Valleys, slopes, river flats, and upland forests emerge with clarity, revealing a place shaped by tectonics, weather, water, and ice.
As a 1992 document, “Anchorage C-6 SW” preserves a valuable snapshot of land use, access, and environmental knowledge at the end of the twentieth century. The mapped trails, designated paths, forested areas, highways, lakes, rivers, and settlements collectively record how residents and visitors navigated a landscape balancing development with remoteness. Since then, the Matanuska-Susitna Valley has experienced growth, shifting infrastructure, and environmental change, giving this map a quiet historical resonance. It shows Palmer and its surroundings before later layers of expansion fully altered the region’s visual and geographic character. For collectors, it offers more than topography: it is a measured, beautifully organized record of Alaska’s living terrain at a particular moment in modern history.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Palmer
- Wasilla
- Knik River
- Matanuska River
- Finger Lake
- Lake Lucille
- Lazy Mountain
- Hatcher Pass
- Hatcher Pass Summit
- Knik Glacier
- Pioneer Peak
- Matanuska-Susitna Valley
- Parks Highway
- Glenn Highway
- Trails / designated paths
- Forested areas depicted on the map
Historical context & cartographic details
- Produced by the US Geological Survey as a historical 1:25,000 topographical map.
- Created in 1992.
- Published by the US Geological Survey, an important American mapping and geological research body established in 1879.
- Features detailed contour lines showing elevation changes.
- Uses symbols to identify physical and cultural features.
- Includes color-coded relief to make the terrain easier to interpret visually.
- Shows mountainous and varied Alaskan terrain, including water bodies and valleys.
- Represents a snapshot of land use and geographical understanding in 1992.
- Later urban development and environmental change may have altered parts of the landscape shown.
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.
Many of our maps and art prints are chosen as thoughtful gifts for homes, offices, studies and meaningful places.
Choose a framed option for the easiest ready-to-hang gift, or choose an unframed print if the recipient may prefer to select their own frame.
We make orders locally in 23 countries around the world, so gifts can often be produced close to the recipient. This helps them arrive faster, travel more safely, and avoid customs or import duty surprises.
- We can deliver directly to the recipient
- Framed pieces arrive ready to hang
- Unframed prints are carefully packed in a strong protective tube
- Almost every order is made locally, for faster, safer gifting
- 90-day returns give the recipient time to decide
If you are not sure what to choose, please contact us. We can help you pick the right map, size, finish or delivery option.
Most orders are made locally and delivered in around 2–3 working days, depending on the product, size and destination.
We print and frame maps and artwork in 23 countries around the world, so your order is usually made close to you or your recipient. That means faster delivery, less time in transit, and no customs or import duty surprises.
Personalised and customised pieces usually take an extra 1–2 working days, because we prepare your design and send it to you for approval before printing.
Very large framed orders can take a little longer, as they need extra care in production and delivery.
Every order is carefully packaged: unframed prints are sent in a strong protective tube, while framed pieces are securely packed with protective materials around the frame.
If you need your order by a particular date, please contact us before ordering. We’ll check the best production route and delivery option for your location.
Express delivery is available at checkout for most countries. Next-day delivery is available in the UK, US, Singapore and the UAE.
Your order is covered by our 90-day returns policy and 10-year guarantee.
Our standard frame is a gallery-style black ash hardwood frame, with a simple, modern look. It is approximately 20mm (0.8in) wide. You can also view some lovely customer photos of framed maps and art.
We use super-clear acrylic glazing, also known as Perspex or Acrylite, instead of traditional glass. It is lighter, safer, and has lower reflectivity, giving the artwork a clearer, cleaner appearance.
Six standard frame colours are available at no extra cost: black, dark brown, dark grey, oak, white, and antique gold. Custom framing and mounting/matting is also available for customers looking for something more specific.
Most maps, art prints, and illustrations are also available as a framed canvas. We use matte cotton canvas, stretch it over a sustainably sourced wooden box frame, and then float the piece within a wooden outer frame. The finished result is beautifully presented, with no glazing between you and the artwork.
All frames are supplied ready to hang, with either string or brackets fitted to the back. Very large frames will include heavy-duty hanging plates and/or a mounting baton. If you have any questions, please get in touch.
We can also supply old maps and artwork on canvas, foam board, cotton rag, and other materials.
If you would prefer to frame your map or artwork yourself, please read our size guide before ordering.
Every Unique Maps piece begins with an authentic cartographic source or an original design from our London studio.
For our historic maps, we source rare originals from libraries, archives, auction houses and private collections around the world. We carefully restore each map for print—repairing age-related damage, balancing colour and improving clarity while preserving its original detail, texture and character.
Once restored, the map is prepared for your chosen size and finish. Your piece is then printed and, where selected, framed close to its delivery destination.
Our map prints use acid-free 200gsm archival matte paper and fade-resistant pigment inks, creating a rich, non-glossy finish designed to last. Framed maps use crystal-clear optical acrylic and arrive ready to hang.
Canvas, cotton-rag and other specialist presentations are also available. Learn more about our materials and finishes.
Personalising your map
You can add a short title or dedication, mark one meaningful place, or request one considered visual detail. For personalised designs, we send a proof before printing and you can request changes before approval.
For more complex bespoke commissions, contact our design team.
Original or Aged
Choose Original for true-to-source colour, or Aged for a warmer, richer antique character created with our specialist ageing process. See examples of our Aged maps.
We’ve been restoring and producing maps and art prints since 1984, and we stand behind every piece.
Every order is covered by our 10-year guarantee and damage-free delivery guarantee. If your piece arrives damaged, we’ll replace or remake it free of charge. If anything else isn’t right, contact our workshop team and we’ll put it right promptly.
See our returns and refund policy for full details.
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