Titled “Chassell,” this 1948 US Geological Survey topographical map presents a richly detailed portrait of Michigan’s Copper Country at mid-century. Drawn at the highly practical 1:24,000 scale, it captures Houghton and the surrounding landscape with the precision that made USGS quadrangles indispensable to engineers, geologists, land managers, and travelers. The map belongs to a post-World War II moment when American communities were expanding, roads were improving, and resource-rich regions such as the Keweenaw Peninsula were balancing older industrial identities with new patterns of settlement and recreation. Its smooth pastel coloration and disciplined symbology give the sheet both scientific clarity and understated visual elegance.

The geography shown is anchored by Houghton, one of the defining towns of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and long associated with the mining history of the Keweenaw region. Nearby Chassell appears within a landscape shaped by water, forest, and glacially influenced terrain, where roads, smaller routes, and scattered settlements thread between lakes, bogs, hills, and valleys. Portage Lake is a central presence, its long watercourse helping define movement, commerce, and community life in the area. The map also gestures toward the broader regional setting of L’Anse Bay and the Keweenaw Peninsula, situating these towns within a rugged northern environment where waterways were as important as highways.

As a USGS map, “Chassell” is especially compelling for its topographic language. Contour lines describe the pronounced rises and falls of the local terrain, revealing the hilly character typical of this part of Michigan. The color-coded design distinguishes landforms, water features, built areas, and routes with a restrained palette that is both aesthetically pleasing and highly functional. Pine Bog, rivers, lakes, valleys, and uplands are not merely labeled; they are integrated into a carefully measured representation of elevation and surface. For anyone interested in outdoor navigation, environmental history, or landscape change, the sheet offers a remarkably legible record of how the land was understood in 1948.

The US Geological Survey’s role in producing this map gives it particular authority. Since the late nineteenth century, the USGS has been central to the scientific mapping of the United States, creating quadrangles that helped standardize knowledge of the nation’s terrain. These maps supported mineral exploration, infrastructure planning, conservation, flood studies, military preparedness, and recreational use. In a region like the Keweenaw, where geology, mining, forests, and waterways shaped both economy and identity, such mapping carried obvious practical importance. “Chassell” reflects the USGS tradition at its best: exacting survey work translated into an elegant visual system that makes a complex landscape immediately readable.

Historically, the map preserves Houghton and its environs during a transitional late-1940s era. The wartime years had just ended, and communities across the United States were entering a period of modernization, road building, institutional growth, and changing land use. Comparing this mapped landscape with the present day reveals the evolution of urban development, transportation corridors, conservation priorities, and recreational patterns around Portage Lake and the Keweenaw Peninsula. Yet the enduring natural framework remains powerfully visible: water, relief, wetlands, and forested terrain continue to define the region. “Chassell” is therefore more than a navigational document; it is a finely observed historical snapshot of northern Michigan’s land, settlement, and atmosphere.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Houghton
• Chassell
• Portage Lake
• Pine Bog
• L'Anse Bay
• Keweenaw Peninsula
• Various lakes and rivers in the region
• Roads, including highways and smaller routes
• Land features such as valleys and hills
• Terrain features indicated by contour lines

Historical context & cartographic details

• Produced by the US Geological Survey (USGS)
• Historical 1:24,000 topographical map based on 1948 data
• Shows Houghton, Michigan, and the surrounding area
• Reflects the geography of Houghton during the late 1940s, a post-World War II period of growth and development
• Highlights a mix of urban and rural landscapes
• Uses a color-coded system to represent land surface and elevation
• Features contour lines to show significant elevation changes and hilly terrain
• Smooth pastel coloration helps differentiate landforms and terrains, typical of USGS maps from the era
• Useful for environmental research, land management, outdoor navigation, and planning

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.