Titled “Houghton, Michigan,” this evocative US Geological Survey quadrangle was published in 1917 from survey data gathered in 1915, preserving the Keweenaw Peninsula at a moment when copper, canals, and Great Lakes commerce shaped daily life. Drawn at the classic 1:62,500 scale, it presents Houghton and Hancock on either side of the Portage waterway, with Calumet, Chassell, Painesdale, and other settlements arranged amid a landscape of ridges, lakes, creeks, and mining roads. The map’s dense contouring and careful hydrography reveal both the practical precision of federal surveying and the aesthetic clarity for which early twentieth-century USGS topographic sheets are admired. It is a portrait of a working northern landscape, surveyed with scientific rigor and filled with historical resonance.

The US Geological Survey, founded in 1879, became one of the defining institutions in the systematic mapping of the United States, and this Houghton sheet reflects its mature early twentieth-century style. Contour lines describe the rise and fall of Quincy Hill, the uplands around Franklin and Adams Townships, and the broken terrain leading toward Lake Superior. Waterways are given equal importance: Portage Lake and the Portage Canal form the geographic spine of the map, linking inland industry to the vast maritime world of Superior. The restrained design—precise lettering, measured relief, and uncluttered symbolism—allows the land itself to dominate. This is cartography as both technical record and visual history, translating elevation, settlement, and infrastructure into an elegant, readable whole.

Houghton and Hancock appear here not merely as towns, but as the civic and commercial heart of Michigan’s copper country. Nearby, the Quincy Mine and Quincy Hill recall one of the region’s great industrial landmarks, part of the mineral wealth that drew workers, investors, railways, and shipping traffic to the Keweenaw. Calumet and Lake Mine point to the broader mining network that made this remote peninsula internationally significant in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The map captures the geography underlying that boom: steep hillsides, narrow water crossings, clustered settlements, and transport corridors shaped by ore extraction. In its quiet symbols and contours, it records an industrial landscape at a pivotal stage, before later consolidation, decline, and environmental change altered the region’s character.

The surrounding natural features give the sheet a grandeur beyond its industrial story. Lake Superior frames the region with immense presence, while Torch Lake, Shriner Lake, Mission Creek, the Gratiot River, and the Montreal River show the complex drainage patterns of the peninsula. Toward Keweenaw Point and Bete Grise, the map hints at the dramatic meeting of forested highlands, wetlands, and cold inland sea. Superior Falls and the river valleys suggest the erosive force of water in this rugged northern terrain. The topographic treatment is especially compelling: hills and valleys are not generalized, but patiently measured, revealing the undulating ground that dictated routes, settlement sites, and mining development. It is a landscape of water, rock, and elevation, rendered with disciplined beauty.

As a historical document, the Houghton quadrangle offers a richly layered snapshot of the region before a century of urban expansion, changing transportation systems, mine closures, and ecological transformation. Comparing its 1915 survey detail with the modern landscape reveals how roads, shorelines, industrial sites, and communities have evolved, while also showing the enduring power of geography in shaping human activity. Townships such as Allouez, Franklin, and Adams are placed within a broader matrix of ridges, lakes, creeks, and mineral lands, reminding us that administrative boundaries and settlement patterns followed the contours of opportunity. For collectors drawn to Great Lakes history, American industrial heritage, or the refined visual language of USGS topography, this map is a deeply atmospheric record of Michigan’s copper country.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Houghton
• Hancock
• Calumet
• Lake Superior
• Portage Lake
• Portage Canal
• Keweenaw Point
• Quincy Mine
• Superior Falls
• Torch Lake
• Adams Township
• Franklin Township
• Allouez Township
• Chassell
• Gratiot River
• Mission Creek
• Painesdale
• Lake Mine
• Montreal River
• Shriner Lake
• Bete Grise
• Quincy Hill

Historical context & cartographic details

• Produced by the US Geological Survey.
• Represents data from 1915 and was published in 1917.
• Historical topographical map at a scale of 1:62,500.
• Published by the US Geological Survey, noted for its important role in mapping and surveying the United States.
• Features traditional topographic representation with contour lines and shading to indicate elevation changes.
• Illustrates varied terrain, including hills, valleys, waterways, and surrounding topography.
• Reflects the geographical understanding and documentation of Houghton, Michigan, during the early 20th century.
• Useful for comparing later changes in urban development, industrialization, and environmental conditions.

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.