North Carolina: Old North State, drawn by Karl Smith in 1958 from his much-admired 1930 conception, is a richly pictorial celebration of place and memory. A hand-colored tapestry of scenes and symbols, it blends cartography with storytelling to guide the eye from mountains to sea. Illustrated vignettes highlight historic sites, monuments, and agricultural lifeways, while a decorative cartouche bearing the state seal anchors the composition with ceremonial gravitas. An inset chronology distills turning points in the state’s past, and the lyrics to “The Old North State” lend a lyrical counterpoint that frames the map as both anthem and atlas—an invitation to wander through Carolina’s heritage with curiosity and reverence.

Across the Piedmont and Sandhills, the map stitches together communities whose destinies shaped the state’s modern identity. Raleigh appears as the political heart, balanced by scholarly Durham and Chapel Hill, while Charlotte, Gastonia, Concord, Mooresville, and High Point evoke the rise of banking, textiles, furniture, and motorsport. Greensboro recalls Revolutionary struggle at Guilford Courthouse, and Fayetteville gestures to a deep military lineage. Westward, Asheville, Hendersonville, Franklin, Salisbury, and Statesville open a gateway to mountain enterprise and conservation. This landscape of city names is not mere labeling; paired with historical notes, it traces a story from colonial assemblies to New South industry, and onward to mid-century research and innovation.

To the east, maritime graphics transform the coastal plain into a theater of Atlantic enterprise. Wilmington stands sentinel at the mouth of the Cape Fear, complemented by Elizabeth City and the inlets and sounds that once channeled naval stores, timber, and trade. Illustrated ships ply offshore waters, a nod to the long drama of exploration, privateering, and blockade running that defined the Outer Banks and barrier island communities. The map’s coastal vignettes evoke lighthouses, shipbuilding, and fishing grounds, presenting the sea not as empty margin but as a living corridor that linked North Carolina to the Caribbean, Europe, and the wider American economy across centuries.

Equally vivid are the agricultural scenes that ripple across the interior—fields of tobacco and cotton, orchards and truck farms, barns and market towns—rendered with affectionate exactitude. Icons marking festivals and events speak to a shared calendar of county fairs, mountain music, and coastal regattas, underscoring how work and celebration braided rural communities together. Cultural threads—Indigenous resilience, African American creativity, and Scotch-Irish and German craft traditions—are suggested through costume, tools, and motifs. The printed lyrics to “The Old North State” function like a refrain, transforming the map into a cultural chorus that honors everyday labor alongside headline-making moments.

A triumph of design, the sheet’s hand-applied color, ornate borders, and the stately cartouche unify scholarship and ornament into a single, navigable picture. As an educational tool, it rewards close reading: the inset timeline encourages chronological study, while the pictorial symbology invites thematic exploration—politics in Raleigh, commerce in Charlotte, learning in Chapel Hill and Durham, port life in Wilmington, and civic vigor from Greenville and Goldboro to Salisbury and Statesville. Smith’s composition preserves the romance of his 1930 vision while speaking fluently to a 1958 audience, creating a time capsule that appeals equally to historians, educators, and anyone drawn to the enduring idea of the Old North State.

Places on this map

• Raleigh (capital city)
• Charlotte
• Greensboro
• Asheville
• Wilmington
• Durham
• Fayetteville
• High Point
• Franklin
• Greenville
• Hendersonville
• Elizabeth City
• Gastonia
• Chapel Hill
• Monroe
• Concord
• Mooresville
• Salisbury
• Statesville
• Goldboro

Notable Features & Landmarks

• Decorative cartouche with the state seal
• Illustrations of significant historical landmarks
• Agricultural scenes depicting farming and rural life
• Inset chronology of important events
• Coastal graphics showing maritime activity
• Illustrated ships in the Atlantic Ocean
• City names labeled across the state
• Icons representing festivals and events
• Artistic borders enhancing the map's aesthetic

Historical and design context

• Name of the map: North Carolina: Old North State
• Mapmaker/Publisher: Karl Smith
• Date of creation: 1958 (originally published in 1930)
• Map style: Historically Informative Thematic and Pictorial map
• Hand-colored representation
• Decorative cartouche featuring the state seal
• Historical sites, monuments, and agricultural scenes
• Visual narrative of North Carolina’s heritage
• Illustrated vignettes of notable landmarks and key historical events
• Inset: A chronology of important historical events related to North Carolina
• Cultural aspect: Lyrics to "The Old North State," a song celebrating North Carolina
• Educational tool: Combines artistic representation and historical context
• Design and style: Rich in color, detail, and artistic illustration; encourages exploration of history
• Historical significance: Captures the essence and heritage of North Carolina, appealing to enthusiasts and the general public alike

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 70in (180cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please get in touch.

Please note: the labels on this map are hard to read if you order a map that is 16in (40cm) or smaller. The map is still very attractive, but if you would like to read the map easily, please buy a larger size.

The model in the listing images is holding the 18x24in (45x60cm) 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.