Published in 1985 under the title “Table Rock Lake,” this United States Geological Survey map captures a richly contoured portion of the Missouri Ozarks at a moment when recreation, infrastructure, and rural landscapes were becoming increasingly intertwined. Centered on Kimberling City and the vast branching waters of Table Rock Lake, the map presents the region at 1:100,000 scale with the clarity and authority characteristic of late twentieth-century USGS cartography. Roads, settlements, forest boundaries, shorelines, streams, and relief are carefully organized into a readable yet intricate portrait of place. The lake itself dominates the composition, its long coves and flooded valleys revealing the dramatic transformation of the White River landscape into one of Missouri’s great recreational reservoirs.

The United States Geological Survey brought more than a century of scientific mapping practice to this work. Founded in 1879, the USGS became the national standard-bearer for topographical accuracy, producing maps that guided engineers, foresters, planners, geologists, and travelers alike. By 1985, its cartographic language was both highly technical and widely understood: contour lines measured the rise and fall of the land, color differentiated vegetation and elevation, and transportation networks were rendered with practical precision. In “Table Rock Lake,” that disciplined style serves a landscape of unusual complexity. The Ozark hills are not monumental in height, but they are deeply dissected, folded into ridges, hollows, creeks, and wooded slopes that the map translates into a finely structured terrain.

Kimberling City appears as a key focal point, reflecting its role as a gateway to Table Rock Lake’s boating, fishing, and vacation culture. Once a small lakeside community, the city grew in importance after the creation of the reservoir, becoming a center for marinas, services, and seasonal recreation. Nearby Branson, already emerging in the 1980s as a major entertainment and tourism destination, adds another layer of historical interest to the map. The road system—highways, rural routes, and local connectors—charts the practical geography of access, showing how visitors and residents moved between coves, resorts, forested uplands, and lakeside developments. The map thus records not only landforms, but a regional economy increasingly shaped by leisure.

The natural setting is equally compelling. Portions of the Mark Twain National Forest appear within the wider mapped area, anchoring the region in the broader conservation landscape of southern Missouri. Streams and tributaries descend through narrow valleys toward Table Rock Lake, their courses hinting at the pre-reservoir drainage patterns that shaped the Ozarks over millennia. Contour lines cluster tightly along slopes and loosen across gentler ridges, creating a visual rhythm that evokes the region’s rugged, wooded character. Recreational areas, rural settlements, power facilities, and water bodies coexist across the sheet, offering a layered view of how public land, private development, energy infrastructure, and natural systems met along the lake’s irregular shoreline.

As a historical document, “Table Rock Lake” preserves the geography of the region in 1985, a period when the lake’s identity as a premier Ozark destination was firmly established yet still evolving. The map records a landscape shaped by mid-century reservoir construction, postwar tourism, expanding road access, and the enduring presence of forested highlands. Its measured topographic detail makes visible the relationship between land and water: coves occupy former valleys, roads trace ridgelines and crossings, and communities cluster where terrain permits. For collectors, it offers more than geographic information; it is a precise and evocative portrait of an American recreational landscape at a particular historical moment, balancing scientific rigor with the quiet beauty of the Ozarks.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Kimberling City
• Table Rock Lake
• Mark Twain National Forest
• Branson
• Big Cedar Lodge
• Power plants near the lake
• Highways and rural routes
• Recreational areas
• Natural landmarks, including hills and valleys
• Streams and tributaries connected to Table Rock Lake

Historical context & cartographic details

• Produced by the United States Geological Survey (USGS)
• Dated 1985 with a 1985 imprint
• Historical 1:100,000 topographical map of Kimberling City, Missouri and the surrounding area
• Shows the geography and development of the Table Rock Lake region as of 1985
• Reflects land use, recreation, tourism, and development associated with Table Rock Lake
• Features detailed elevation, natural resource, and infrastructure information
• Uses contour lines to show elevation changes and the hilly terrain of the Ozark region
• Includes shaded relief and color gradients to illustrate landforms, elevations, and declines
• Road systems are distinctly marked to support navigation
• USGS topographical maps have historically supported land use planning, resource management, and outdoor recreation

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 36x20in (90x50cm) 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.