Published in 1953 using survey data collected in 1948, the United States Geological Survey’s “Alexandria Bay Quadrangle” captures one of New York’s most storied river landscapes at a pivotal mid-century moment. Drawn at the detailed 1:62,500 scale, the map presents Alexandria Bay, Clayton, Orleans, Wellesley Island, Chippewa Bay, and the intricate island-studded passages of the Thousand Islands with the clarity and precision for which the USGS is renowned. The cartography distinguishes land and water with elegant restraint, while carefully spaced contour lines reveal the subtle rises, valleys, and shoreline relief that shape this borderland region. More than a navigational document, it is a scientific portrait of a celebrated resort gateway where geology, tourism, and the Saint Lawrence River converge.

The Alexandria Bay region shown here occupies a dramatic position along the Saint Lawrence River, where the river widens into a labyrinth of channels, bays, and wooded islands before flowing northeast toward the Atlantic. The map’s treatment of the Upper, or Broadway, Channel and adjacent waterways emphasizes the maritime character of the region, where boats, ferries, and pleasure craft have long defined movement and commerce. Lake Ontario lies to the southwest, anchoring the broader hydrographic setting, while the mapped roads and trails show the growing connections between waterfront communities and inland settlements. In the mid-20th century, this was a landscape increasingly shaped by automobile tourism, summer residences, and recreational boating, yet still closely tied to the older rhythms of river navigation and rural settlement.

Alexandria Bay itself appears as the principal village and tourist center, its Main Street and surrounding road network marking the human focus of an otherwise watery geography. By the time this map was published, the village was already famous as a gateway to the Thousand Islands, a region promoted for its scenic grandeur, fishing, boating, and grand estates. Among the most evocative landmarks in the vicinity is Boldt Castle on Heart Island, an emblem of Gilded Age ambition and romantic legend. The map situates such landmarks within their broader geographic setting, allowing the viewer to read not only individual places but also the relationships between islands, channels, shorelines, and routes that made Alexandria Bay such a celebrated destination.

The United States Geological Survey brought to this quadrangle its characteristic blend of field measurement, standardized symbology, and disciplined graphic design. Founded in 1879, the USGS became the nation’s foremost authority for topographic mapping, producing quadrangles that served engineers, planners, scientists, travelers, and the military alike. Here, contour lines articulate the terrain with quiet authority, tracing the modest but meaningful elevation changes of northern New York’s river country. Water bodies are rendered distinctly, reinforcing the dominance of the Saint Lawrence system and the Thousand Islands archipelago. Roads, trails, settlements, shorelines, and possible institutional or military sites are integrated into a coherent visual hierarchy, making the map both technically informative and aesthetically compelling.

Historically, the “Alexandria Bay Quadrangle” reflects a region in transition. Its 1948 survey data records the landscape before later decades of expanded development, intensified tourism infrastructure, and changing patterns of land use along the riverfront. Parks and recreational areas hint at the growing public appetite for outdoor leisure, while the mapped communities preserve a picture of settlement just after the Second World War. The Thousand Islands had long been a place of Indigenous presence, international passage, elite retreat, and borderland exchange; this map fixes that layered history within a precise geographic framework. For collectors, it offers not simply a view of Alexandria Bay and its islands, but a mid-century record of one of America’s most distinctive freshwater landscapes.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Alexandria Bay
• Thousand Islands
• Clayton
• Orleans
• Wellesley Island
• Boldt Castle
• Chippewa Bay
• St. Lawrence River
• Upper (Broadway) Channel
• Lake Ontario
• Main Street, Alexandria Bay
• Various roads and trails
• Marine routes
• Parks and recreational areas in the vicinity
• Military sites, if marked
• Landmarks and notable structures depicted on the map

Historical context & cartographic details

• Historical 1:62,500 topographical map titled Alexandria Bay Quadrangle
• Produced by the United States Geological Survey (USGS)
• Survey data was collected in 1948
• Published with a 1953 imprint
• Shows Alexandria Bay and the surrounding Thousand Islands region in New York
• Alexandria Bay is known as a scenic tourist destination and gateway to the Thousand Islands
• Features prominent contour lines indicating elevation changes
• Water bodies are clearly distinguished with color variations
• Depicts varied topography, including elevated areas, valleys, and waterways
• Reflects mid-20th-century geographical knowledge of the region
• Documents the area before later changes from urban development, infrastructure growth, and recreational tourism

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.