Rare Old Map of Hershey, Pennsylvania by USGS, 1943: Hummelstown, Swatara River & Blue Mountain
Restored in our London workshop from the original 1943 map and printed to museum-grade archival standards. Full description
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.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 1943 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.
You can also contact us before you order, if you prefer!
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Published and imprinted in 1943, the US Geological Survey’s “Hummelstown Quadrangle” presents a finely detailed topographical portrait of south-central Pennsylvania, centered on...
Continue readingPublished and imprinted in 1943, the US Geological Survey’s “Hummelstown Quadrangle” presents a finely detailed topographical portrait of south-central Pennsylvania, centered on Hershey and the surrounding Dauphin County landscape. Created in the classic USGS quadrangle tradition, the map records the region at a fascinating mid-20th-century moment, before later waves of suburban growth and highway development transformed much of the area. Hershey appears not merely as a town, but as a notable built environment set within rolling agricultural country, connected by roads and railways to Hummelstown, South Hanover, East Hanover, and neighboring settlements. The result is a richly informative view of a landscape balanced between rural Pennsylvania, industrial-era connectivity, and the growing prominence of Hershey as a distinctive American place.
The cartographic language of the map is quintessentially topographical: contour lines articulate the rise and fall of the terrain, while colored elevation patterns and shaded relief give the hills, valleys, and ridgelines a vivid sense of structure. Around Hershey and Hummelstown, the land is shown as a carefully measured system of slopes, stream corridors, farm roads, and settled pockets. Rather than treating geography as a flat arrangement of place names, the USGS style reveals how human settlement follows the shape of the land. Valleys carry transportation routes, rivers define movement and drainage, and uplands frame the communities below. This meticulous rendering gives the map both scientific precision and visual elegance.
Among the most compelling natural features shown is the Swatara River, whose course helps organize the geography of the quadrangle. Its valley forms a corridor of movement and settlement, linking rural areas, towns, and infrastructure across the map. To the north, Blue Mountain and the broader Appalachian ridgelines introduce a more rugged topographic character, while South Mountain and the surrounding uplands suggest the layered terrain that distinguishes this part of Pennsylvania. Places such as Gold Spring, Fisherville, North Annville, East Hanover, and West Hanover appear within this textured landscape, each situated in relation to roads, waterways, and elevation. The map captures not only where these places are, but why they developed where they did.
The US Geological Survey, responsible for the map, was by 1943 one of the most important scientific mapping institutions in the United States. Its quadrangle maps were designed to provide standardized, reliable knowledge of the nation’s terrain, supporting engineering, resource management, land planning, military preparedness, and public understanding. In the context of the Second World War era, such mapping carried added significance, as accurate knowledge of infrastructure, relief, and settlement patterns was of practical national importance. Yet the “Hummelstown Quadrangle” also transcends utility: it reflects the USGS commitment to portraying the American landscape with clarity, consistency, and disciplined beauty. Every contour, road, railway, and stream contributes to a coherent geographical record.
As a historical document, this 1943 map offers an evocative glimpse of Hershey and its environs before the fuller suburbanization of the late 20th century. The farms and rural areas surrounding Hershey are still prominent, and the pattern of roads and railways reveals a landscape shaped by local commerce, agriculture, and regional connection rather than modern sprawl. Indiantown Gap, Blue Mountain, and the Hanover townships situate the map within a broader Pennsylvania setting of ridges, valleys, small communities, and strategic routes. For collectors, the appeal lies in this combination of precision and atmosphere: a scientifically rigorous topographic map that preserves the lived geography of a distinctive region at a pivotal historical moment.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Hershey
- Hummelstown
- South Hanover
- Indiantown Gap
- Blue Mountain
- Gold Spring
- Swatara River
- South Mountain
- North Annville
- Fisherville
- East Hanover
- West Hanover
- Farms and rural areas surrounding Hershey
- Roads and railways connecting the local areas
Historical context & cartographic details
- Produced by the US Geological Survey, this historical topographical map shows Hershey, Pennsylvania, and its surroundings.
- Dated and imprinted in 1943.
- Published by the US Geological Survey, an institution central to systematic geological and topographical mapping in the United States.
- Exhibits a classic topographical style, using contour lines and shaded relief to show terrain and elevation.
- Contour intervals help visualize hills, valleys, and elevation changes around the Hershey area.
- Reflects the mid-20th-century landscape before significant later development in the Hershey area.
- Shows an area that has likely experienced urban expansion, infrastructure development, and land-use changes since publication.
- Displays terrain through colored elevation patterns, demonstrating careful cartographic attention to the area’s geography and physical features.
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 and imprinted in 1943, the US Geological Survey’s “Hummelstown Quadrangle” presents a finely detailed topographical portrait of south-central Pennsylvania, centered on Hershey and the surrounding Dauphin County landscape. Created in the classic USGS quadrangle tradition, the map records the region at a fascinating mid-20th-century moment, before later waves of suburban growth and highway development transformed much of the area. Hershey appears not merely as a town, but as a notable built environment set within rolling agricultural country, connected by roads and railways to Hummelstown, South Hanover, East Hanover, and neighboring settlements. The result is a richly informative view of a landscape balanced between rural Pennsylvania, industrial-era connectivity, and the growing prominence of Hershey as a distinctive American place.
The cartographic language of the map is quintessentially topographical: contour lines articulate the rise and fall of the terrain, while colored elevation patterns and shaded relief give the hills, valleys, and ridgelines a vivid sense of structure. Around Hershey and Hummelstown, the land is shown as a carefully measured system of slopes, stream corridors, farm roads, and settled pockets. Rather than treating geography as a flat arrangement of place names, the USGS style reveals how human settlement follows the shape of the land. Valleys carry transportation routes, rivers define movement and drainage, and uplands frame the communities below. This meticulous rendering gives the map both scientific precision and visual elegance.
Among the most compelling natural features shown is the Swatara River, whose course helps organize the geography of the quadrangle. Its valley forms a corridor of movement and settlement, linking rural areas, towns, and infrastructure across the map. To the north, Blue Mountain and the broader Appalachian ridgelines introduce a more rugged topographic character, while South Mountain and the surrounding uplands suggest the layered terrain that distinguishes this part of Pennsylvania. Places such as Gold Spring, Fisherville, North Annville, East Hanover, and West Hanover appear within this textured landscape, each situated in relation to roads, waterways, and elevation. The map captures not only where these places are, but why they developed where they did.
The US Geological Survey, responsible for the map, was by 1943 one of the most important scientific mapping institutions in the United States. Its quadrangle maps were designed to provide standardized, reliable knowledge of the nation’s terrain, supporting engineering, resource management, land planning, military preparedness, and public understanding. In the context of the Second World War era, such mapping carried added significance, as accurate knowledge of infrastructure, relief, and settlement patterns was of practical national importance. Yet the “Hummelstown Quadrangle” also transcends utility: it reflects the USGS commitment to portraying the American landscape with clarity, consistency, and disciplined beauty. Every contour, road, railway, and stream contributes to a coherent geographical record.
As a historical document, this 1943 map offers an evocative glimpse of Hershey and its environs before the fuller suburbanization of the late 20th century. The farms and rural areas surrounding Hershey are still prominent, and the pattern of roads and railways reveals a landscape shaped by local commerce, agriculture, and regional connection rather than modern sprawl. Indiantown Gap, Blue Mountain, and the Hanover townships situate the map within a broader Pennsylvania setting of ridges, valleys, small communities, and strategic routes. For collectors, the appeal lies in this combination of precision and atmosphere: a scientifically rigorous topographic map that preserves the lived geography of a distinctive region at a pivotal historical moment.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Hershey
- Hummelstown
- South Hanover
- Indiantown Gap
- Blue Mountain
- Gold Spring
- Swatara River
- South Mountain
- North Annville
- Fisherville
- East Hanover
- West Hanover
- Farms and rural areas surrounding Hershey
- Roads and railways connecting the local areas
Historical context & cartographic details
- Produced by the US Geological Survey, this historical topographical map shows Hershey, Pennsylvania, and its surroundings.
- Dated and imprinted in 1943.
- Published by the US Geological Survey, an institution central to systematic geological and topographical mapping in the United States.
- Exhibits a classic topographical style, using contour lines and shaded relief to show terrain and elevation.
- Contour intervals help visualize hills, valleys, and elevation changes around the Hershey area.
- Reflects the mid-20th-century landscape before significant later development in the Hershey area.
- Shows an area that has likely experienced urban expansion, infrastructure development, and land-use changes since publication.
- Displays terrain through colored elevation patterns, demonstrating careful cartographic attention to the area’s geography and physical features.
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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