Rare Old Map of San Anselmo, California by USGS, 1954: San Rafael, Ross & Mount Tamalpais
Restored in our London workshop from the original 1955 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 1955 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 in 1955 from 1954 US Geological Survey work, “San Rafael” presents a finely detailed mid-century portrait of central Marin County at...
Continue readingPublished in 1955 from 1954 US Geological Survey work, “San Rafael” presents a finely detailed mid-century portrait of central Marin County at the precise 1:24,000 scale. Though named for the county seat, the map gives particular prominence to San Anselmo and its surrounding communities, placing them within a richly contoured landscape of ridges, creek valleys, reservoirs, roads, and rail lines. This was Marin before the full force of postwar suburban expansion reshaped its hillsides and transportation corridors, making the sheet a compelling record of both settlement and terrain. San Rafael, Ross, Fairfax, Corte Madera, Marinwood, and Tamalpais Valley appear not as isolated towns, but as parts of a connected landscape defined by movement, water, elevation, and proximity to Mount Tamalpais.
The US Geological Survey’s cartographic discipline is evident throughout the map’s measured design. Contour lines articulate the folds and rises of the land with exceptional clarity, turning the ridges around San Anselmo and San Rafael into a legible system of slopes, saddles, and valleys. The classic USGS color language distinguishes built areas, vegetation, hydrography, and relief without overwhelming the eye, creating a map that is both scientific and quietly elegant. Roads and highways are carefully annotated, while railways trace an earlier geography of local connection. Creeks thread through the lowlands and canyons, reminding the viewer that Marin’s towns developed in close conversation with drainage patterns, narrow valley floors, and the steep terrain that surrounds them.
San Anselmo is especially evocative on this map, shown at a moment when its identity as a refined Marin community was already established, yet before later development filled many surrounding spaces. Set among hills west of San Rafael and near the neighboring enclave of Ross, the town occupies a geographic position that helps explain its enduring appeal: sheltered, residential, and closely tied to the wooded valleys leading toward Fairfax and the Mount Tamalpais watershed. The map captures this balance between community and landscape, marking streets and routes while leaving the surrounding contours to assert the dominance of terrain. For collectors drawn to California’s social and geographic history, it is a revealing image of affluence, access, and topography intertwined.
Beyond the towns, the map’s reservoirs and uplands underscore the importance of water and conservation in Marin County’s development. Bon Tempe Lake and Kent Lake anchor a landscape of watershed management, wooded slopes, and recreational access near the flanks of Mount Tamalpais. Trails, parks, and creek courses hint at the region’s longstanding relationship with outdoor life, from local walking routes to broader excursions into the mountain country north of the Golden Gate. The reservoirs are not merely geographic features; they represent civic planning, environmental adaptation, and the practical demands of growing Bay Area communities. In this sense, the map documents a landscape where natural beauty, public utility, and residential desirability converged.
As a historical topographical representation, “San Rafael” offers more than a location guide: it preserves a mid-20th-century version of Marin County at a formative moment. The postwar years brought new roads, new neighborhoods, and increasing commuter ties to San Francisco, yet this map still shows a region shaped profoundly by hills, watersheds, rail routes, and compact town centers. Its appeal lies in that tension between permanence and change. Mount Tamalpais, the lakes, and the sinuous creek valleys remain enduring presences, while the human geography reflects a particular historical phase. For admirers of California cartography, it is a sophisticated record of place, where technical precision reveals the layered character of one of the Bay Area’s most distinctive landscapes.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- San Anselmo
- San Rafael
- Marin County
- Ross
- Fairfax
- Tamalpais Valley
- Mount Tamalpais
- Marinwood
- Corte Madera
- Bon Tempe Lake
- Kent Lake
- Creeks
- Parks
- Trails
- Highways
- Railways
- Reservoirs
- Mountain ranges and peaks
Historical context & cartographic details
- Produced by the US Geological Survey (USGS)
- Created in 1954 and published in 1955
- Scale: 1:24,000
- Historical topographical map focusing on San Anselmo, California
- Incorporates USGS survey data emphasizing geographical and populated features
- Prominently features San Anselmo, noted for its affluent neighborhoods and proximity to Marin County historical sites
- Uses a typical USGS color scheme to represent topography and vegetation
- Detailed contour lines show elevation changes, hills, and valleys
- Reflects the San Anselmo area in the mid-20th century, before later urbanization and development significantly altered the region
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 1955 from 1954 US Geological Survey work, “San Rafael” presents a finely detailed mid-century portrait of central Marin County at the precise 1:24,000 scale. Though named for the county seat, the map gives particular prominence to San Anselmo and its surrounding communities, placing them within a richly contoured landscape of ridges, creek valleys, reservoirs, roads, and rail lines. This was Marin before the full force of postwar suburban expansion reshaped its hillsides and transportation corridors, making the sheet a compelling record of both settlement and terrain. San Rafael, Ross, Fairfax, Corte Madera, Marinwood, and Tamalpais Valley appear not as isolated towns, but as parts of a connected landscape defined by movement, water, elevation, and proximity to Mount Tamalpais.
The US Geological Survey’s cartographic discipline is evident throughout the map’s measured design. Contour lines articulate the folds and rises of the land with exceptional clarity, turning the ridges around San Anselmo and San Rafael into a legible system of slopes, saddles, and valleys. The classic USGS color language distinguishes built areas, vegetation, hydrography, and relief without overwhelming the eye, creating a map that is both scientific and quietly elegant. Roads and highways are carefully annotated, while railways trace an earlier geography of local connection. Creeks thread through the lowlands and canyons, reminding the viewer that Marin’s towns developed in close conversation with drainage patterns, narrow valley floors, and the steep terrain that surrounds them.
San Anselmo is especially evocative on this map, shown at a moment when its identity as a refined Marin community was already established, yet before later development filled many surrounding spaces. Set among hills west of San Rafael and near the neighboring enclave of Ross, the town occupies a geographic position that helps explain its enduring appeal: sheltered, residential, and closely tied to the wooded valleys leading toward Fairfax and the Mount Tamalpais watershed. The map captures this balance between community and landscape, marking streets and routes while leaving the surrounding contours to assert the dominance of terrain. For collectors drawn to California’s social and geographic history, it is a revealing image of affluence, access, and topography intertwined.
Beyond the towns, the map’s reservoirs and uplands underscore the importance of water and conservation in Marin County’s development. Bon Tempe Lake and Kent Lake anchor a landscape of watershed management, wooded slopes, and recreational access near the flanks of Mount Tamalpais. Trails, parks, and creek courses hint at the region’s longstanding relationship with outdoor life, from local walking routes to broader excursions into the mountain country north of the Golden Gate. The reservoirs are not merely geographic features; they represent civic planning, environmental adaptation, and the practical demands of growing Bay Area communities. In this sense, the map documents a landscape where natural beauty, public utility, and residential desirability converged.
As a historical topographical representation, “San Rafael” offers more than a location guide: it preserves a mid-20th-century version of Marin County at a formative moment. The postwar years brought new roads, new neighborhoods, and increasing commuter ties to San Francisco, yet this map still shows a region shaped profoundly by hills, watersheds, rail routes, and compact town centers. Its appeal lies in that tension between permanence and change. Mount Tamalpais, the lakes, and the sinuous creek valleys remain enduring presences, while the human geography reflects a particular historical phase. For admirers of California cartography, it is a sophisticated record of place, where technical precision reveals the layered character of one of the Bay Area’s most distinctive landscapes.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- San Anselmo
- San Rafael
- Marin County
- Ross
- Fairfax
- Tamalpais Valley
- Mount Tamalpais
- Marinwood
- Corte Madera
- Bon Tempe Lake
- Kent Lake
- Creeks
- Parks
- Trails
- Highways
- Railways
- Reservoirs
- Mountain ranges and peaks
Historical context & cartographic details
- Produced by the US Geological Survey (USGS)
- Created in 1954 and published in 1955
- Scale: 1:24,000
- Historical topographical map focusing on San Anselmo, California
- Incorporates USGS survey data emphasizing geographical and populated features
- Prominently features San Anselmo, noted for its affluent neighborhoods and proximity to Marin County historical sites
- Uses a typical USGS color scheme to represent topography and vegetation
- Detailed contour lines show elevation changes, hills, and valleys
- Reflects the San Anselmo area in the mid-20th century, before later urbanization and development significantly altered the region
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.
We work with interior designers, hospitality businesses, property professionals, offices and corporate buyers on individual pieces and larger coordinated projects.
This map can be adapted for a particular wall, room or project, and our workshop can help coordinate the dimensions, material and framing before production.
- Exact, oversized and made-to-measure dimensions
- Custom framing, mounting and alternative materials
- Coordinated pieces for several rooms or locations
- Map personalisation, to mark important locations or add extra details
- Map and framing guidance from our workshop
- Local production for projects around the world
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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