Map of Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire by USGS, 1987: West Alton, Gilford & Wolfeboro
Restored in our London workshop from the original 1987 map and printed to museum-grade archival standards. Full description
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Choose two eligible works and receive 20% off both. Choose three and the lowest-priced one is complimentary, a maximum saving of 33%.
Mix and match eligible standard maps and fine-art prints. No code is required; the offer is applied automatically at checkout.
Standard made-to-order configurations are included. Bespoke sizes, personalised designs and commissioned work are excluded.
Need delivery to different addresses? Contact us before ordering.The Collector’s Offer
Choose two eligible works and receive 20% off both. Choose three and the lowest-priced one is complimentary, a maximum saving of 33%.
Mix and match eligible standard maps and fine-art prints. No code is required; the offer is applied automatically at checkout.
Standard made-to-order configurations are included. Bespoke sizes, personalised designs and commissioned work are excluded.
Need delivery to different addresses? Contact us before ordering.
Restored in London • Printed and framed in the UK
Restored from the original 1987 map and printed to museum-grade archival standards. Full description
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Published in 1987 by the United States Geological Survey, the map titled “West Alton, New Hampshire” captures a richly detailed portion of...
Continue readingPublished in 1987 by the United States Geological Survey, the map titled “West Alton, New Hampshire” captures a richly detailed portion of the Lakes Region at a moment when traditional topographic cartography remained the authoritative language of American landscape study. Issued as a provisional map, it reflects the USGS practice of circulating highly useful geographic information while acknowledging that later revision or refinement might follow. At the precise 1:24,000 scale, the sheet offers an intimate reading of terrain: shorelines, roads, trails, elevations, wooded slopes, and settled places are all rendered with scientific discipline. Its focus is the dramatic meeting of land and water around Lake Winnipesaukee, where islands, coves, ridges, and lakeside communities create one of New Hampshire’s most memorable topographic settings.
Lake Winnipesaukee dominates the composition, its broad blue expanse interrupted by the distinctive forms of Bear Island, Long Island, Rattlesnake Island, Mark Island, and numerous smaller shoreline features. The lake, New Hampshire’s largest, has long been a center of travel, recreation, summer settlement, and regional identity, and this map presents it not merely as scenery but as a navigable, inhabited landscape. The intricate shoreline reveals bays, peninsulas, and narrow passages that have shaped local movement and development for generations. West Alton appears within this waterside geography, connected by roads and terrain to neighboring Gilford, Tuftonboro, and Wolfeboro. The map’s close attention to the lake’s margins makes it especially evocative of a place where geography governs community life.
The US Geological Survey’s topographic style gives the map its enduring elegance and usefulness. Contour lines articulate the rise and fall of the land with quiet precision, transforming hills, valleys, and ridgelines into a readable visual rhythm. Greens indicate wooded and vegetated terrain, while blues define the lakes, streams, and wetland features that give the region its character. The surrounding Belknap Range provides a strong topographic counterpoint to Lake Winnipesaukee’s open waters, with elevations and slopes revealing the ruggedness beyond the shoreline. Loon Mountain and other local heights appear within this measured landscape, while roads and trails trace human routes through natural contours. The result is a map that is both technical document and portrait of place.
The communities shown—Gilford, Tuftonboro, Wolfeboro, and West Alton—belong to a historic Lakes Region landscape shaped by tourism, seasonal residence, forestry, small-scale settlement, and access to water. By 1987, Lake Winnipesaukee was already famous for boating, fishing, summer cottages, resorts, and scenic drives, yet the map preserves a quieter structural view beneath those associations. Roads bend around hills and coves, trails move through uplands, and development gathers where terrain permits. For collectors, this date is especially interesting: it records the region before later decades of intensified shoreline development, changing land use, and evolving conservation priorities. In that sense, the map offers a snapshot of late twentieth-century New Hampshire, poised between rural continuity and recreational expansion.
As a USGS provisional topographic map, “West Alton, New Hampshire” belongs to a distinguished cartographic tradition grounded in field observation, aerial survey, and standardized national mapping. The agency’s work has long served engineers, hikers, planners, scientists, landowners, and historians, and this sheet demonstrates why: it synthesizes natural and human geography with remarkable clarity. Every contour, road, island, and shoreline helps reconstruct the lived landscape of the Winnipesaukee basin. Its appeal lies not only in its geographic specificity, but also in the way it reveals the relationship between water, mountain, settlement, and movement. For anyone drawn to New Hampshire’s Lakes Region, this map is a finely observed record of one of the state’s most beloved landscapes.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Lake Winnipesaukee
- West Alton
- Gilford
- Tuftonboro
- Wolfeboro
- Bear Island
- Long Island
- Rattlesnake Island
- Mark Island
- The Belknap Range
- Loon Mountain
- Several trails and roads in the surrounding area
- Various contours and elevation points indicating topographic features across the map
Historical context & cartographic details
- Produced by the US Geological Survey as a provisional map
- Published in 1987
- Created by the US Geological Survey, a U.S. federal scientific agency known for authoritative geographic and geological maps
- Features Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire’s largest lake and a significant recreational area
- Uses a traditional topographic style with contour lines to show elevation changes
- Includes green and blue color schemes to distinguish land and water features
- Drawn at a detailed 1:24,000 scale, showing hills, valleys, water bodies, and other topographic features
- May document land use and landscape features that have changed since 1987 due to development, environmental change, or shifts in land ownership and usage patterns
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.
Published in 1987 by the United States Geological Survey, the map titled “West Alton, New Hampshire” captures a richly detailed portion of the Lakes Region at a moment when traditional topographic cartography remained the authoritative language of American landscape study. Issued as a provisional map, it reflects the USGS practice of circulating highly useful geographic information while acknowledging that later revision or refinement might follow. At the precise 1:24,000 scale, the sheet offers an intimate reading of terrain: shorelines, roads, trails, elevations, wooded slopes, and settled places are all rendered with scientific discipline. Its focus is the dramatic meeting of land and water around Lake Winnipesaukee, where islands, coves, ridges, and lakeside communities create one of New Hampshire’s most memorable topographic settings.
Lake Winnipesaukee dominates the composition, its broad blue expanse interrupted by the distinctive forms of Bear Island, Long Island, Rattlesnake Island, Mark Island, and numerous smaller shoreline features. The lake, New Hampshire’s largest, has long been a center of travel, recreation, summer settlement, and regional identity, and this map presents it not merely as scenery but as a navigable, inhabited landscape. The intricate shoreline reveals bays, peninsulas, and narrow passages that have shaped local movement and development for generations. West Alton appears within this waterside geography, connected by roads and terrain to neighboring Gilford, Tuftonboro, and Wolfeboro. The map’s close attention to the lake’s margins makes it especially evocative of a place where geography governs community life.
The US Geological Survey’s topographic style gives the map its enduring elegance and usefulness. Contour lines articulate the rise and fall of the land with quiet precision, transforming hills, valleys, and ridgelines into a readable visual rhythm. Greens indicate wooded and vegetated terrain, while blues define the lakes, streams, and wetland features that give the region its character. The surrounding Belknap Range provides a strong topographic counterpoint to Lake Winnipesaukee’s open waters, with elevations and slopes revealing the ruggedness beyond the shoreline. Loon Mountain and other local heights appear within this measured landscape, while roads and trails trace human routes through natural contours. The result is a map that is both technical document and portrait of place.
The communities shown—Gilford, Tuftonboro, Wolfeboro, and West Alton—belong to a historic Lakes Region landscape shaped by tourism, seasonal residence, forestry, small-scale settlement, and access to water. By 1987, Lake Winnipesaukee was already famous for boating, fishing, summer cottages, resorts, and scenic drives, yet the map preserves a quieter structural view beneath those associations. Roads bend around hills and coves, trails move through uplands, and development gathers where terrain permits. For collectors, this date is especially interesting: it records the region before later decades of intensified shoreline development, changing land use, and evolving conservation priorities. In that sense, the map offers a snapshot of late twentieth-century New Hampshire, poised between rural continuity and recreational expansion.
As a USGS provisional topographic map, “West Alton, New Hampshire” belongs to a distinguished cartographic tradition grounded in field observation, aerial survey, and standardized national mapping. The agency’s work has long served engineers, hikers, planners, scientists, landowners, and historians, and this sheet demonstrates why: it synthesizes natural and human geography with remarkable clarity. Every contour, road, island, and shoreline helps reconstruct the lived landscape of the Winnipesaukee basin. Its appeal lies not only in its geographic specificity, but also in the way it reveals the relationship between water, mountain, settlement, and movement. For anyone drawn to New Hampshire’s Lakes Region, this map is a finely observed record of one of the state’s most beloved landscapes.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Lake Winnipesaukee
- West Alton
- Gilford
- Tuftonboro
- Wolfeboro
- Bear Island
- Long Island
- Rattlesnake Island
- Mark Island
- The Belknap Range
- Loon Mountain
- Several trails and roads in the surrounding area
- Various contours and elevation points indicating topographic features across the map
Historical context & cartographic details
- Produced by the US Geological Survey as a provisional map
- Published in 1987
- Created by the US Geological Survey, a U.S. federal scientific agency known for authoritative geographic and geological maps
- Features Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire’s largest lake and a significant recreational area
- Uses a traditional topographic style with contour lines to show elevation changes
- Includes green and blue color schemes to distinguish land and water features
- Drawn at a detailed 1:24,000 scale, showing hills, valleys, water bodies, and other topographic features
- May document land use and landscape features that have changed since 1987 due to development, environmental change, or shifts in land ownership and usage patterns
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.
Many of our maps and art prints are chosen as thoughtful gifts for homes, offices, studies and meaningful places.
Choose a framed option for the easiest ready-to-hang gift, or choose an unframed print if the recipient may prefer to select their own frame.
We make orders locally in 23 countries around the world, so gifts can often be produced close to the recipient. This helps them arrive faster, travel more safely, and avoid customs or import duty surprises.
- We can deliver directly to the recipient
- Framed pieces arrive ready to hang
- Unframed prints are carefully packed in a strong protective tube
- Almost every order is made locally, for faster, safer gifting
- 90-day returns give the recipient time to decide
If you are not sure what to choose, please contact us. We can help you pick the right map, size, finish or delivery option.
Most orders are made locally and delivered in around 2–3 working days, depending on the product, size and destination.
We print and frame maps and artwork in 23 countries around the world, so your order is usually made close to you or your recipient. That means faster delivery, less time in transit, and no customs or import duty surprises.
Personalised and customised pieces usually take an extra 1–2 working days, because we prepare your design and send it to you for approval before printing.
Very large framed orders can take a little longer, as they need extra care in production and delivery.
Every order is carefully packaged: unframed prints are sent in a strong protective tube, while framed pieces are securely packed with protective materials around the frame.
If you need your order by a particular date, please contact us before ordering. We’ll check the best production route and delivery option for your location.
Express delivery is available at checkout for most countries. Next-day delivery is available in the UK, US, Singapore and the UAE.
Your order is covered by our 90-day returns policy and 10-year guarantee.
Our standard frame is a gallery-style black ash hardwood frame, with a simple, modern look. It is approximately 20mm (0.8in) wide. You can also view some lovely customer photos of framed maps and art.
We use super-clear acrylic glazing, also known as Perspex or Acrylite, instead of traditional glass. It is lighter, safer, and has lower reflectivity, giving the artwork a clearer, cleaner appearance.
Six standard frame colours are available at no extra cost: black, dark brown, dark grey, oak, white, and antique gold. Custom framing and mounting/matting is also available for customers looking for something more specific.
Most maps, art prints, and illustrations are also available as a framed canvas. We use matte cotton canvas, stretch it over a sustainably sourced wooden box frame, and then float the piece within a wooden outer frame. The finished result is beautifully presented, with no glazing between you and the artwork.
All frames are supplied ready to hang, with either string or brackets fitted to the back. Very large frames will include heavy-duty hanging plates and/or a mounting baton. If you have any questions, please get in touch.
We can also supply old maps and artwork on canvas, foam board, cotton rag, and other materials.
If you would prefer to frame your map or artwork yourself, please read our size guide before ordering.
Every Unique Maps piece begins with an authentic cartographic source or an original design from our London studio.
For our historic maps, we source rare originals from libraries, archives, auction houses and private collections around the world. We carefully restore each map for print—repairing age-related damage, balancing colour and improving clarity while preserving its original detail, texture and character.
Once restored, the map is prepared for your chosen size and finish. Your piece is then printed and, where selected, framed close to its delivery destination.
Our map prints use acid-free 200gsm archival matte paper and fade-resistant pigment inks, creating a rich, non-glossy finish designed to last. Framed maps use crystal-clear optical acrylic and arrive ready to hang.
Canvas, cotton-rag and other specialist presentations are also available. Learn more about our materials and finishes.
Personalising your map
You can add a short title or dedication, mark one meaningful place, or request one considered visual detail. For personalised designs, we send a proof before printing and you can request changes before approval.
For more complex bespoke commissions, contact our design team.
Original or Aged
Choose Original for true-to-source colour, or Aged for a warmer, richer antique character created with our specialist ageing process. See examples of our Aged maps.
We’ve been restoring and producing maps and art prints since 1984, and we stand behind every piece.
Every order is covered by our 10-year guarantee and damage-free delivery guarantee. If your piece arrives damaged, we’ll replace or remake it free of charge. If anything else isn’t right, contact our workshop team and we’ll put it right promptly.
See our returns and refund policy for full details.
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