{"product_id":"old-map-of-cody-wyoming-by-usgs-1951-yellowstone-national-park-shoshone-river-buffalo-bill-reservoir","title":"Old Map of Cody, Wyoming by USGS, 1951 – Yellowstone National Park, Shoshone River \u0026 Buffalo Bill Reservoir","description":"\u003cp\u003eTitled “Cody,” this 1951 United States Geological Survey topographical map presents the celebrated Wyoming town and its dramatic surroundings at a detailed 1:62,500 scale. Cody appears here not merely as a settlement, but as the “Gateway to Yellowstone,” positioned between the open ranchlands of the Bighorn Basin and the rising mountain country to the west. The map captures a region where travel, tourism, irrigation, and wilderness all converged in the mid-twentieth century. Roads radiate from Cody toward river valleys, reservoirs, and mountain passes, while the partial presence of Yellowstone National Park gives the sheet an unmistakable sense of frontier grandeur. It is a portrait of northwestern Wyoming at a moment when modern infrastructure was threading through a landscape still defined by immense natural forces.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe US Geological Survey, established in 1879, became the authoritative cartographic voice of the American landscape, and this map reflects its disciplined precision. Rather than emphasizing decoration, the USGS tradition prized measured detail: contour lines, hydrography, roads, public lands, and settlement patterns rendered with clarity and purpose. Such maps were essential tools for engineers, land managers, travelers, geologists, and government agencies, especially in a region as topographically complex as the Yellowstone borderlands. In “Cody,” the agency’s methodical style transforms rugged terrain into legible form, making visible the folds, slopes, valleys, and drainage systems that structure the region. The result is both practical and evocative, a map born of scientific surveying yet rich with the romance of the American West.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe map’s topographic character is dominated by the Shoshone River system and the surrounding high country. The North Fork of the Shoshone River leads westward through Wapiti Valley toward Yellowstone, while Buffalo Bill Reservoir marks a major human intervention in the region’s hydrology. Contour lines gather tightly across the flanks of the Absaroka Range, conveying steep ridges, broken uplands, and the formidable relief that frames Cody’s western horizon. Heart Mountain, one of the area’s most recognizable landmarks, rises as a distinctive feature in the landscape, its isolated form contrasting with the broader mountain masses nearby. Rivers, ridgelines, and valleys together create a cartographic rhythm, revealing how movement through this country has always followed watercourses and natural corridors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCody itself carries a powerful historical association with William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody, whose vision helped establish the town as a western showplace and tourist gateway. The famous Irma Hotel, associated with Buffalo Bill’s legacy, evokes the era when railroads, stage routes, ranching, and Yellowstone tourism shaped local identity. U.S. Route 14 and other roads shown on the map trace the practical arteries of mid-century travel, linking Cody with nearby communities such as Ralston and with the mountain approaches beyond. The map also records a pattern of land use that may differ substantially from the present day: roads, unnamed tracks, infrastructure, and boundaries offer a snapshot of how people occupied and navigated this demanding landscape in 1951.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a historical topographical map, “Cody” is especially compelling for the way it balances settlement and wilderness. The contouring gives the sheet a sculptural quality, allowing the viewer to read elevation changes across river bottoms, foothills, highlands, and mountain ridges. Portions of Yellowstone National Park and nearby forest lands place Cody within a wider geography of conservation, recreation, and federal land management. At the same time, the presence of reservoirs, routes, and town infrastructure speaks to twentieth-century development in the West. The map is therefore more than a geographic document: it is a record of a transitional landscape, where tourism, engineering, ranching, and wild mountain terrain meet at the threshold of one of America’s most iconic national parks.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eCities, towns and places on this map\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCody, Wyoming\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYellowstone National Park (partial)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShoshone River\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNorth Fork of the Shoshone River\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBuffalo Bill Reservoir\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeart Mountain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAbsaroka Range\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIrma Hotel\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eU.S. Route 14\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eVarious unnamed roads\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCuster National Forest (in part)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eClark's Fork of the Yellowstone River\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWapiti Valley\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRalston, Wyoming (nearby)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSeveral mountain peaks and ridges\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eHistorical context \u0026amp; cartographic details\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHistorical 1:62,500 topographical map of Cody, Wyoming and the surrounding area\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCreated in 1951\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProduced by the US Geological Survey (USGS)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe USGS played a significant role in surveying and mapping U.S. territories, providing important geographic information\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCody is shown as the “Gateway to Yellowstone”\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIncludes surrounding natural features and parts of Yellowstone National Park\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUses contour lines to illustrate topography and elevation changes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShows the mountainous terrain typical of Wyoming\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProvides detailed elevation data for rugged landscapes, river valleys, and highlands\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReflects historical geographic data, land use, roads, and infrastructure that may have changed over time\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLooking for a particular place?\u003c\/strong\u003e Review the detailed images to confirm that the town, landmark or feature you have in mind appears on the map. If you are unsure, \u003ca target=\"”_blank”\" href=\"\/es\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003eask our workshop to check before you order\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDetailed 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 50in (125cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please \u003ca href=\"\/es\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003eget in touch\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe model in the listing images is holding the 16x20in (40x50cm) version of this map.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhere personalisation is available, you can add a short title or dedication, mark one meaningful place, or request one considered visual detail. \u003ca target=\"”_blank”\" href=\"\/es\/pages\/map-personalisation\"\u003eSee personalised map examples\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEvery 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWith 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 \u003ca target=\"”_blank”\" href=\"\/es\/collections\/all-old-vintage-antique-maps\"\u003erare old and vintage maps\u003c\/a\u003e to discover another place, period or style.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Unique Maps Co.","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58830679507328,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/0344\/8638\/files\/file_13c5c2fd-c7cd-47d5-9afa-5166b403762f.jpg?v=1788271930","url":"https:\/\/uniquemaps.co.uk\/es\/products\/old-map-of-cody-wyoming-by-usgs-1951-yellowstone-national-park-shoshone-river-buffalo-bill-reservoir","provider":"The Unique Maps Co.","version":"1.0","type":"link"}