Rare Old Map of Devils Lake, North Dakota by USGS, 1931: Lake Irvine, Dry Lake & Freshwater Lake
Restored in our London workshop from the original 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
My maps are rare, museum-grade, restored old maps sourced from libraries, auction houses and private collections across the globe. Full description
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Published in 1931 by the United States Geological Survey, “Devils Lake” is a finely resolved topographical portrait of one of North Dakota’s...
Continue readingPublished in 1931 by the United States Geological Survey, “Devils Lake” is a finely resolved topographical portrait of one of North Dakota’s most distinctive lake districts. At a scale of 1:62,500, the map balances regional breadth with intimate local detail, presenting Devils Lake not as an isolated body of water but as the center of a complex hydrological landscape. The pale blue of the lake system, the disciplined contouring of surrounding lowlands, and the crisp grid of the USGS style together create a document of both scientific clarity and quiet visual elegance. It captures an early twentieth-century moment in a region where water levels, wetlands, farms, roads, and settlement patterns were all part of an evolving prairie environment.
Devils Lake itself dominates the composition, its irregular shoreline giving the map a sense of organic movement across the otherwise measured geometry of survey lines and roads. Nearby bodies of water—including Dry Lake, Freshwater Lake, Lake Irvine, and numerous unnamed lakes—reveal the region’s intricate network of basins, wetlands, and low-lying terrain. These features are especially significant in a landscape known for dramatic hydrological change, where closed-basin lakes can rise and recede over time. The map’s careful rendering of shorelines and lowlands offers a compelling glimpse into the environmental conditions of 1931, before later decades of development and shifting water levels altered the character of the Devils Lake basin.
The cartographic language is unmistakably that of the US Geological Survey: precise, restrained, and deeply informative. Contour lines trace the modest but meaningful undulations of the surrounding prairie, allowing the viewer to read the land’s relief with unusual clarity. Roads, railroads, farms, rural structures, and watercourses are differentiated through a muted but effective palette, with red lines marking rail connections and blue shading emphasizing hydrography. This disciplined design reflects the USGS commitment to making landscapes legible for engineers, geologists, planners, farmers, and travelers alike. The result is a map that is utilitarian in origin yet visually absorbing, combining scientific measurement with the understated beauty of early federal cartography.
The presence of railroads and roads throughout the sheet situates Devils Lake within the broader story of settlement and economic development on the northern plains. By 1931, rail lines were still essential arteries for agricultural communities, linking rural farms and small towns to regional markets. The map records that infrastructure alongside scattered dwellings and cultivated lands, quietly documenting the human imprint on a watery prairie landscape. Devils Lake, the town, appears as a focal point amid lakes, fields, and transport routes, reflecting its importance as a local center. In this way, the map captures not only physical geography, but also the rhythms of rural life in early twentieth-century North Dakota.
As a historical document, this USGS map is especially evocative because the Devils Lake region has long been defined by change. Its lakes and wetlands are sensitive to precipitation, drainage, and long-term climatic variation, making older surveys invaluable records of past conditions. The 1931 map preserves a landscape before many later transformations in land use, transportation, and water management, offering a benchmark against which modern geography can be compared. Its combination of hydrological detail, topographic precision, and settlement information makes it a richly layered view of place: part scientific survey, part environmental record, and part portrait of a prairie community shaped by water, elevation, and access.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Devils Lake
- Dry Lake
- Freshwater Lake
- Lake Irvine
- Various unnamed lakes
- Railroads
- Roads
- Nearby valleys and lowlands
- Farms and rural structures
Historical context & cartographic details
- Historical topographical map produced by the US Geological Survey.
- Created in 1931 at a scale of 1:62,500.
- Shows Devils Lake and surrounding areas in North Dakota.
- Features smaller lakes and geographic details that illustrate the region’s hydrology and topography.
- Uses a typical USGS design, with clear land features, hydrography, and a well-defined grid system.
- Includes contour lines showing elevation changes and terrain form.
- Highlights the undulating landscape around Devils Lake and nearby wetland areas.
- Reflects early 20th-century understanding of the region’s geography, land use, and development.
- Uses a muted USGS-style color palette, with lighter blue shading to distinguish water bodies.
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 1931 by the United States Geological Survey, “Devils Lake” is a finely resolved topographical portrait of one of North Dakota’s most distinctive lake districts. At a scale of 1:62,500, the map balances regional breadth with intimate local detail, presenting Devils Lake not as an isolated body of water but as the center of a complex hydrological landscape. The pale blue of the lake system, the disciplined contouring of surrounding lowlands, and the crisp grid of the USGS style together create a document of both scientific clarity and quiet visual elegance. It captures an early twentieth-century moment in a region where water levels, wetlands, farms, roads, and settlement patterns were all part of an evolving prairie environment.
Devils Lake itself dominates the composition, its irregular shoreline giving the map a sense of organic movement across the otherwise measured geometry of survey lines and roads. Nearby bodies of water—including Dry Lake, Freshwater Lake, Lake Irvine, and numerous unnamed lakes—reveal the region’s intricate network of basins, wetlands, and low-lying terrain. These features are especially significant in a landscape known for dramatic hydrological change, where closed-basin lakes can rise and recede over time. The map’s careful rendering of shorelines and lowlands offers a compelling glimpse into the environmental conditions of 1931, before later decades of development and shifting water levels altered the character of the Devils Lake basin.
The cartographic language is unmistakably that of the US Geological Survey: precise, restrained, and deeply informative. Contour lines trace the modest but meaningful undulations of the surrounding prairie, allowing the viewer to read the land’s relief with unusual clarity. Roads, railroads, farms, rural structures, and watercourses are differentiated through a muted but effective palette, with red lines marking rail connections and blue shading emphasizing hydrography. This disciplined design reflects the USGS commitment to making landscapes legible for engineers, geologists, planners, farmers, and travelers alike. The result is a map that is utilitarian in origin yet visually absorbing, combining scientific measurement with the understated beauty of early federal cartography.
The presence of railroads and roads throughout the sheet situates Devils Lake within the broader story of settlement and economic development on the northern plains. By 1931, rail lines were still essential arteries for agricultural communities, linking rural farms and small towns to regional markets. The map records that infrastructure alongside scattered dwellings and cultivated lands, quietly documenting the human imprint on a watery prairie landscape. Devils Lake, the town, appears as a focal point amid lakes, fields, and transport routes, reflecting its importance as a local center. In this way, the map captures not only physical geography, but also the rhythms of rural life in early twentieth-century North Dakota.
As a historical document, this USGS map is especially evocative because the Devils Lake region has long been defined by change. Its lakes and wetlands are sensitive to precipitation, drainage, and long-term climatic variation, making older surveys invaluable records of past conditions. The 1931 map preserves a landscape before many later transformations in land use, transportation, and water management, offering a benchmark against which modern geography can be compared. Its combination of hydrological detail, topographic precision, and settlement information makes it a richly layered view of place: part scientific survey, part environmental record, and part portrait of a prairie community shaped by water, elevation, and access.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Devils Lake
- Dry Lake
- Freshwater Lake
- Lake Irvine
- Various unnamed lakes
- Railroads
- Roads
- Nearby valleys and lowlands
- Farms and rural structures
Historical context & cartographic details
- Historical topographical map produced by the US Geological Survey.
- Created in 1931 at a scale of 1:62,500.
- Shows Devils Lake and surrounding areas in North Dakota.
- Features smaller lakes and geographic details that illustrate the region’s hydrology and topography.
- Uses a typical USGS design, with clear land features, hydrography, and a well-defined grid system.
- Includes contour lines showing elevation changes and terrain form.
- Highlights the undulating landscape around Devils Lake and nearby wetland areas.
- Reflects early 20th-century understanding of the region’s geography, land use, and development.
- Uses a muted USGS-style color palette, with lighter blue shading to distinguish water bodies.
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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