Rare Old Map of Alton, New Hampshire by USGS, 1957: Lake Winnipesaukee, Alton Bay & Mount Major
Restored in our workshop from the original 1969 map and printed to museum-grade archival standards. Full description
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.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 1969 map and printed to museum-grade archival standards. Full description
Choose your size
Choose your finish
(More info)
Gift message & custom finish
If you want to add a gift message, or a finish (jigsaw, aluminium board, etc.) that is not available here, please request it in the "order note" when you check out.
Every order is custom made, so if you need the size adjusted slightly, or printed on an unusual material, just let us know. We've done thousands of custom orders over the years, so there's (almost) nothing we can't manage.
You can also contact us before you order, if you prefer!
Own a piece of history
8,000+ five-star reviews
Titled “Alton,” this US Geological Survey topographical map was compiled in 1957 and issued with a 1969 imprint, preserving a richly detailed...
Continue readingTitled “Alton,” this US Geological Survey topographical map was compiled in 1957 and issued with a 1969 imprint, preserving a richly detailed portrait of New Hampshire’s Lakes Region at mid-century. Centered on the town of Alton, the map extends across a varied landscape of lake shores, wooded uplands, small settlements, roads, rail lines, and rural valleys. Its 1:62,500 scale offers a generous regional view while retaining the precision for which USGS quadrangles are prized. Contour lines articulate the rise and fall of the land with elegant clarity, tracing hills, ridges, and basins around Lake Winnipesaukee, Alton Bay, Merrymeeting Lake, Crystal Lake, and a constellation of smaller ponds.
The US Geological Survey brought to this map nearly a century of institutional expertise in scientific cartography, producing sheets that were essential to engineers, planners, foresters, conservationists, and travelers. Unlike decorative maps made primarily for display, USGS topographic maps combine aesthetic restraint with rigorous observation: water, woodland, elevation, transport routes, and settlement patterns are organized into a legible portrait of place. Here, the Lakes Region appears not as a romantic abstraction but as a working landscape, where villages, farms, forests, shore communities, and mountain terrain coexist. The result is a map of quiet authority, revealing how Alton and its neighboring towns fit into the broader geography of central New Hampshire.
Lake Winnipesaukee is the dominant natural presence, with Alton Bay forming a graceful southern arm that draws the eye into the composition. Nearby water bodies—Merrymeeting Lake, Beaver Lake, Long Lake, Hunkins Pond, Hills Pond, Steven’s Pond, and Crystal Lake—underscore the hydrological richness of the region. The Suncook River and smaller drainage channels thread through valleys and lowlands, linking upland ponds with broader watershed systems. These features are more than scenic details: they shaped settlement, transportation, recreation, and land use throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The map captures a moment when lakeside development was expanding, yet large tracts of woodland and rural terrain still defined the character of the area.
The topography surrounding Alton is especially compelling, with Mount Major, Gunstock Mountain, and Belknap Mountain rising as prominent anchors in the mapped landscape. Contour lines gather tightly around these highlands, giving a vivid sense of steep slopes and elevated ridgelines, while gentler spacing marks farms, valleys, and settled corridors. Trails appear across the uplands, hinting at the region’s long tradition of hiking and outdoor recreation, particularly in the Belknap Range. The inclusion of Alton Town Forest and other conservation lands reflects the growing importance of protected landscapes in New Hampshire. In this way, the map records both natural form and human stewardship, balancing wilderness, access, and preservation.
Roads and railroads give the map its historical pulse. Routes 11, 28, and 102 trace connections between Alton, Barnstead, Middleton, New Durham, Farmington, and Gilford, showing how communities were linked before the later intensification of automobile-oriented development. Rail lines, where indicated, recall earlier patterns of movement and commerce, when lakeside tourism, timber, agriculture, and small industry depended on dependable regional transport. For collectors, historians, and admirers of New Hampshire, this map offers more than geographic information: it is a mid-century document of change. It shows Alton poised between rural tradition and modern recreation, between working landscape and conserved terrain, and between local identity and the wider story of the Lakes Region.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Alton
- Lake Winnipesaukee
- Barnstead
- Middleton
- New Durham
- Farmington
- Gilford
- Mount Major
- Suncook River
- Hunkins Pond
- Crystal Lake
- Merrymeeting Lake
- Beaver Lake
- Long Lake
- Gunstock Mountain
- Belknap Mountain
- Hills Pond
- Steven's Pond
- Alton Bay
- Route 11
- Route 28
- Route 102
- Railroads
- Trails
- Alton Town Forest
- Conservation areas and parks
Historical context & cartographic details
- Map titled “Alton”, showing Alton, New Hampshire, and the surrounding area.
- Produced by the US Geological Survey (USGS).
- Historical 1:62,500 topographical map.
- Dated 1957 and published with a 1969 imprint.
- Features clear topographical detail, including contour lines showing elevations and depressions.
- Uses contrasting colors to distinguish land, water bodies, and vegetation.
- Shows hills, valleys, lakes, and rivers through contour lines and shading.
- Captures the Alton-area landscape in the late 1950s.
- Offers insight into land use, natural features, development, and land conservation in the region.
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.
Titled “Alton,” this US Geological Survey topographical map was compiled in 1957 and issued with a 1969 imprint, preserving a richly detailed portrait of New Hampshire’s Lakes Region at mid-century. Centered on the town of Alton, the map extends across a varied landscape of lake shores, wooded uplands, small settlements, roads, rail lines, and rural valleys. Its 1:62,500 scale offers a generous regional view while retaining the precision for which USGS quadrangles are prized. Contour lines articulate the rise and fall of the land with elegant clarity, tracing hills, ridges, and basins around Lake Winnipesaukee, Alton Bay, Merrymeeting Lake, Crystal Lake, and a constellation of smaller ponds.
The US Geological Survey brought to this map nearly a century of institutional expertise in scientific cartography, producing sheets that were essential to engineers, planners, foresters, conservationists, and travelers. Unlike decorative maps made primarily for display, USGS topographic maps combine aesthetic restraint with rigorous observation: water, woodland, elevation, transport routes, and settlement patterns are organized into a legible portrait of place. Here, the Lakes Region appears not as a romantic abstraction but as a working landscape, where villages, farms, forests, shore communities, and mountain terrain coexist. The result is a map of quiet authority, revealing how Alton and its neighboring towns fit into the broader geography of central New Hampshire.
Lake Winnipesaukee is the dominant natural presence, with Alton Bay forming a graceful southern arm that draws the eye into the composition. Nearby water bodies—Merrymeeting Lake, Beaver Lake, Long Lake, Hunkins Pond, Hills Pond, Steven’s Pond, and Crystal Lake—underscore the hydrological richness of the region. The Suncook River and smaller drainage channels thread through valleys and lowlands, linking upland ponds with broader watershed systems. These features are more than scenic details: they shaped settlement, transportation, recreation, and land use throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The map captures a moment when lakeside development was expanding, yet large tracts of woodland and rural terrain still defined the character of the area.
The topography surrounding Alton is especially compelling, with Mount Major, Gunstock Mountain, and Belknap Mountain rising as prominent anchors in the mapped landscape. Contour lines gather tightly around these highlands, giving a vivid sense of steep slopes and elevated ridgelines, while gentler spacing marks farms, valleys, and settled corridors. Trails appear across the uplands, hinting at the region’s long tradition of hiking and outdoor recreation, particularly in the Belknap Range. The inclusion of Alton Town Forest and other conservation lands reflects the growing importance of protected landscapes in New Hampshire. In this way, the map records both natural form and human stewardship, balancing wilderness, access, and preservation.
Roads and railroads give the map its historical pulse. Routes 11, 28, and 102 trace connections between Alton, Barnstead, Middleton, New Durham, Farmington, and Gilford, showing how communities were linked before the later intensification of automobile-oriented development. Rail lines, where indicated, recall earlier patterns of movement and commerce, when lakeside tourism, timber, agriculture, and small industry depended on dependable regional transport. For collectors, historians, and admirers of New Hampshire, this map offers more than geographic information: it is a mid-century document of change. It shows Alton poised between rural tradition and modern recreation, between working landscape and conserved terrain, and between local identity and the wider story of the Lakes Region.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Alton
- Lake Winnipesaukee
- Barnstead
- Middleton
- New Durham
- Farmington
- Gilford
- Mount Major
- Suncook River
- Hunkins Pond
- Crystal Lake
- Merrymeeting Lake
- Beaver Lake
- Long Lake
- Gunstock Mountain
- Belknap Mountain
- Hills Pond
- Steven's Pond
- Alton Bay
- Route 11
- Route 28
- Route 102
- Railroads
- Trails
- Alton Town Forest
- Conservation areas and parks
Historical context & cartographic details
- Map titled “Alton”, showing Alton, New Hampshire, and the surrounding area.
- Produced by the US Geological Survey (USGS).
- Historical 1:62,500 topographical map.
- Dated 1957 and published with a 1969 imprint.
- Features clear topographical detail, including contour lines showing elevations and depressions.
- Uses contrasting colors to distinguish land, water bodies, and vegetation.
- Shows hills, valleys, lakes, and rivers through contour lines and shading.
- Captures the Alton-area landscape in the late 1950s.
- Offers insight into land use, natural features, development, and land conservation in the region.
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 24 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 24 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.
We work with interior designers, hospitality businesses, property professionals, offices and corporate buyers on individual pieces and larger coordinated projects.
This map can be adapted for a particular wall, room or project, and our workshop can help coordinate the dimensions, material and framing before production.
- Exact, oversized and made-to-measure dimensions
- Custom framing, mounting and alternative materials
- Coordinated pieces for several rooms or locations
- Map personalisation, to mark important locations or add extra details
- Map and framing guidance from our workshop
- Local production for projects around the world
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.
Or try searching for something!
