Published in 1961 from 1956 survey data, the U.S. Geological Survey’s “St. Augustine” captures one of Florida’s most storied coastal landscapes at a revealing mid-century moment. At a 1:24,000 scale, the map presents the ancient city and its surroundings with the precision and restraint characteristic of USGS quadrangles: streets, shorelines, drainage channels, marshes, and contours all rendered in a disciplined visual language. St. Augustine appears not merely as a destination, but as a living urban fabric set between river, ocean, and island. Red marks developed areas, green distinguishes vegetated terrain, and fine contouring hints at the subtle elevations of a low coastal environment where even small changes in landform can shape settlement, movement, and ecology.

St. Augustine itself gives the map extraordinary historical resonance. Founded by the Spanish in 1565, it is the oldest continuously inhabited European-established settlement in the continental United States, and by the 1950s it stood at an intersection of deep colonial memory and modern Florida growth. The map’s urban grid records a city that had already become a major heritage landmark, associated with Spanish colonial architecture, coastal defense, religious missions, and centuries of Atlantic exchange. Yet the surrounding roads and neighborhoods also point toward the postwar transformation of Florida: expanding residential districts, automobile corridors, and the gradual rise of tourism infrastructure. In this sense, the map is both a topographic document and a portrait of a historic city entering a new economic and cultural era.

The coastal setting is one of the map’s great visual and geographic pleasures. Anastasia Island stretches along the Atlantic side of the composition, separated from the mainland by the Matanzas River and adjacent tidal waters. The map’s careful delineation of shorelines, lagoons, wetlands, and drainage features emphasizes the fragile relationship between land and sea in this part of northeast Florida. St. Augustine Beach appears as a distinct coastal community, oriented toward the ocean and foreshadowing the recreational development that would intensify in later decades. The Atlantic Ocean forms the eastern boundary, while the waterways threading behind the barrier island reveal a landscape shaped by tides, sediment, marshland, and the enduring pull of maritime movement.

As a USGS topographical map, “St. Augustine” reflects the agency’s long commitment to systematic national mapping. The United States Geological Survey, founded in 1879, became the country’s preeminent authority for mapping terrain, water systems, mineral resources, and environmental conditions. Its quadrangle maps were indispensable tools for engineers, planners, scientists, military users, and travelers, combining geographic accuracy with a remarkably elegant cartographic economy. Here, roads are cleanly traced, drainage systems are legible, and the distinction between built and vegetated areas is immediately apparent. The map’s understated contour lines are especially fitting for coastal Florida, where the topography is gentle but consequential, influencing flooding, habitation, transportation routes, and the placement of infrastructure.

Viewed today, the map offers a compelling snapshot of St. Augustine before later waves of urban expansion, resort development, and environmental change altered much of the surrounding region. Parks, recreational lands, wetlands, residential neighborhoods, and indicated military installations all contribute to a layered picture of mid-twentieth-century land use. Nearby natural areas, including the vicinity associated with Faver-Dykes State Park, suggest the persistence of quieter landscapes beyond the city’s historic core and beach communities. The map invites comparison between past and present: where roads have multiplied, shorelines have shifted, neighborhoods have expanded, and conservation has become increasingly urgent. It is a richly informative view of a place where American antiquity, coastal geography, and modern Florida converge.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• St. Augustine
• St. Augustine Beach
• Anastasia Island
• Matanzas River
• Atlantic Ocean
• Faver-Dykes State Park
• Numerous roads
• Various residential neighborhoods
• Coastal lagoons and wetlands
• Military installations
• Parks and recreational areas

Historical context & cartographic details

• Produced by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
• Historical topographical map at a scale of 1:24,000.
• Based on survey data from 1956 and published in 1961.
• Shows rivers, coastlines, urban layouts, and surrounding geographic features.
• Uses distinct color coding to differentiate terrain and land use, including green for vegetated areas and red for urbanized areas.
• Employs clear linework for roadways and drainage systems.
• Elevation and terrain variation are shown through subtle contour lines and shading.
• Reflects mid-20th-century conditions before later urban expansion, tourism development, and coastal environmental changes.

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.