Published in 1964 from survey data gathered in 1940, “Los Gatos” is a richly informative US Geological Survey topographical map produced in cooperation with the War Department, Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army. It captures a compelling moment in the history of the Santa Clara Valley, when Los Gatos and neighboring Monte Sereno still stood in close conversation with orchards, wooded slopes, rural roads, and rugged uplands. The map’s 1:62,500 scale gives both breadth and precision, presenting the town not as an isolated settlement but as part of a dynamic landscape of valleys, creeks, ridgelines, and transportation corridors. For collectors, it offers an evocative view of the South Bay before the full force of postwar suburban expansion transformed the region.

The design is classic mid-century American topography: contour lines articulate the rise and fall of the land, while carefully chosen green and brown tones distinguish wooded areas, hills, and more open terrain. These visual conventions give the map a sculptural quality, allowing the viewer to read elevation almost physically across the sheet. The hills surrounding Los Gatos appear not as background scenery, but as defining structures of the region—shaping travel, settlement, drainage, and development. Valleys open toward the Santa Clara Valley, while steeper slopes lead the eye toward the mountainous country beyond. The result is both a practical survey document and an elegant portrait of landform, revealing the geographical forces that have long framed life in this part of California.

Los Gatos itself occupies a historically important position at the meeting point of valley and mountain. In the early twentieth century, the town served as a gateway between the agricultural richness of the Santa Clara Valley and the wooded ridges of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Monte Sereno, shown nearby, appears within this same transitional zone, where residential enclaves, rural lanes, and natural contours overlap. The map’s roads and routes suggest patterns of movement before the later intensification of highways and suburban networks. For those interested in urban history, it provides a valuable baseline: a way to compare the quieter landscape recorded from 1940 surveys with the increasingly developed Silicon Valley corridor that would emerge in the decades after publication.

Waterways are among the map’s most revealing features. Branciforte Creek, Coyote Creek, Wrights Creek, and Uvas Creek help define the terrain, tracing natural corridors through hills and valleys. Their presence speaks to the hydrology of the region, where seasonal flows, drainage basins, and canyon routes shaped both ecology and human use. Creeks were not merely geographic details; they influenced road placement, settlement patterns, agriculture, and access into the uplands. The map also situates Los Gatos within a broader natural setting that includes places such as El Sereno, San Francisco Mountain, and the wider hill country stretching toward Alum Rock Park. Together, these features evoke a landscape still strongly governed by topography and water.

As a collaboration between the USGS and the Army Corps of Engineers, this map reflects the strategic and scientific ambitions of American cartography in the mid-twentieth century. Such maps were made for accuracy, utility, and national infrastructure, yet they often possess an understated beauty born from disciplined observation. “Los Gatos” is especially compelling because it records a region on the cusp of profound change: still rural in many of its surrounding areas, yet poised near one of the most consequential zones of modern technological growth. Its contour lines, creek names, roads, hills, and town labels preserve a layered historical geography, offering today’s viewer a refined and highly detailed window into the Los Gatos landscape as it stood before the modern South Bay fully took shape.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Los Gatos
• Monte Sereno
• Santa Clara Valley
• San Francisco Mountain
• Alum Rock Park
• El Sereno
• Branciforte Creek
• Coyote Creek
• Wrights Creek
• Uvas Creek
• Various roadways, including rural routes and highways
• Nearby hills and valleys shown with contour lines for elevation
• Potential trails and streams indicated on the map

Historical context & cartographic details

• Produced by the US Geological Survey (USGS) and the War Department, Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army
• Based on survey data from 1940 and published in 1964
• Historical 1:62,500 topographical map of the surrounding California landscape
• Detailed topographical representation with contour lines indicating elevation changes
• Green and brown coloring used to show terrain types such as wooded areas, hills, and flatter land
• Depicts rolling hills, valleys, natural waterways, and significant changes in elevation
• Reflects the landscape during the early 20th century, supporting comparisons of urban development and natural change over time

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 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.