Rare Old Map of Grand Forks, North Dakota by USGS, 1934: East Grand Forks & Red River
Restored in our London workshop from the original 1934 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 1934 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
Published in 1934 by the U.S. Geological Survey, the map titled “Grand Forks” presents a richly detailed 1:24,000 topographical portrait of Grand...
Continue readingPublished in 1934 by the U.S. Geological Survey, the map titled “Grand Forks” presents a richly detailed 1:24,000 topographical portrait of Grand Forks, North Dakota, and its immediate surroundings. Categorized as an “Advance” sheet, it captures the region with the disciplined clarity of federal cartography during the interwar period. At its heart is the paired urban landscape of Grand Forks and East Grand Forks, divided by the Red River yet bound together by roads, railways, and shared economic geography. The map’s restrained USGS palette—brown contouring, blue waterways, and precise cultural markings—gives the sheet both scientific authority and quiet visual elegance.
The U.S. Geological Survey, founded in 1879, became one of the great cartographic institutions of the modern United States, producing maps that were indispensable to engineers, planners, landowners, and government agencies. By the 1930s, USGS topographical mapping had achieved a mature visual language: systematic grids, standardized symbols, carefully measured relief, and a balance between natural and human-made features. This Grand Forks sheet belongs to that tradition, recording not only the shape of the land but the structure of daily life. Roads, rail lines, watercourses, open spaces, and settlement patterns are all rendered with a precision that reflects the expanding administrative and infrastructural ambitions of the era.
The Red River is the dominant natural feature, defining both geography and jurisdiction as it winds between North Dakota and Minnesota. Its presence gives the map a strong sense of place, reminding the viewer that Grand Forks developed in intimate relationship with river transport, fertile valley soils, and the challenges of seasonal water movement. The surrounding terrain is portrayed through subtle contour lines, which reveal the gentle undulations of the Red River Valley rather than dramatic elevation changes. Streams, lowlands, and drainage patterns are given careful attention, offering insight into a landscape shaped by water, agriculture, and settlement. Nearby references such as Heart River and other hydrographic details enrich the environmental story.
The urban portions of the map are especially evocative of Grand Forks in the 1930s, a regional center whose identity was tied to transportation, commerce, agriculture, and civic growth. Roads and railways trace the city’s connective tissue, showing how movement through the region was organized before the dominance of modern highways. East Grand Forks appears as a companion settlement across the Red River, its relationship to Grand Forks made legible through bridges, approaches, and shared corridors. Landings Field adds a particularly modern note, hinting at the rise of aviation and the gradual transformation of regional mobility. Parks and green spaces soften the urban grid and suggest the civic landscape of the period.
As a historical object, this map is compelling because it captures a precise moment in the evolution of a northern prairie city. Its beauty lies not in ornament but in exactitude: the quiet rhythm of contour lines, the clean hierarchy of symbols, and the measured contrast between river, road, railway, and town. For today’s viewer, the 1934 “Grand Forks” map offers a layered comparison between past and present, showing how urban edges, transportation corridors, and natural features have changed—or endured—over nearly a century. It is both a technical achievement and an atmospheric record of place, preserving the geography of Grand Forks at a pivotal moment in its modern development.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Grand Forks
- East Grand Forks
- Alconer
- Landings Field
- Heart River
- Red River
- Roads and railways within the Grand Forks urban area
- Parks and green spaces around the populated areas
Historical context & cartographic details
- Map title: Grand Forks
- Produced by the U.S. Geological Survey, or USGS
- Created and published in 1934
- Historical 1:24,000 topographical map of Grand Forks, North Dakota, and surrounding areas
- Categorized as an “Advance” map
- Features a standard USGS topographical design with contour lines and a grid system
- Uses a muted color palette typical of USGS maps from this period, including brown for elevation details and blue for water bodies
- Shows elevation changes and landscape undulations through contour lines
- Highlights river systems, particularly the Red River
- Reflects the geography of Grand Forks during the 1930s, showing how urban and natural landscapes have changed 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.
Published in 1934 by the U.S. Geological Survey, the map titled “Grand Forks” presents a richly detailed 1:24,000 topographical portrait of Grand Forks, North Dakota, and its immediate surroundings. Categorized as an “Advance” sheet, it captures the region with the disciplined clarity of federal cartography during the interwar period. At its heart is the paired urban landscape of Grand Forks and East Grand Forks, divided by the Red River yet bound together by roads, railways, and shared economic geography. The map’s restrained USGS palette—brown contouring, blue waterways, and precise cultural markings—gives the sheet both scientific authority and quiet visual elegance.
The U.S. Geological Survey, founded in 1879, became one of the great cartographic institutions of the modern United States, producing maps that were indispensable to engineers, planners, landowners, and government agencies. By the 1930s, USGS topographical mapping had achieved a mature visual language: systematic grids, standardized symbols, carefully measured relief, and a balance between natural and human-made features. This Grand Forks sheet belongs to that tradition, recording not only the shape of the land but the structure of daily life. Roads, rail lines, watercourses, open spaces, and settlement patterns are all rendered with a precision that reflects the expanding administrative and infrastructural ambitions of the era.
The Red River is the dominant natural feature, defining both geography and jurisdiction as it winds between North Dakota and Minnesota. Its presence gives the map a strong sense of place, reminding the viewer that Grand Forks developed in intimate relationship with river transport, fertile valley soils, and the challenges of seasonal water movement. The surrounding terrain is portrayed through subtle contour lines, which reveal the gentle undulations of the Red River Valley rather than dramatic elevation changes. Streams, lowlands, and drainage patterns are given careful attention, offering insight into a landscape shaped by water, agriculture, and settlement. Nearby references such as Heart River and other hydrographic details enrich the environmental story.
The urban portions of the map are especially evocative of Grand Forks in the 1930s, a regional center whose identity was tied to transportation, commerce, agriculture, and civic growth. Roads and railways trace the city’s connective tissue, showing how movement through the region was organized before the dominance of modern highways. East Grand Forks appears as a companion settlement across the Red River, its relationship to Grand Forks made legible through bridges, approaches, and shared corridors. Landings Field adds a particularly modern note, hinting at the rise of aviation and the gradual transformation of regional mobility. Parks and green spaces soften the urban grid and suggest the civic landscape of the period.
As a historical object, this map is compelling because it captures a precise moment in the evolution of a northern prairie city. Its beauty lies not in ornament but in exactitude: the quiet rhythm of contour lines, the clean hierarchy of symbols, and the measured contrast between river, road, railway, and town. For today’s viewer, the 1934 “Grand Forks” map offers a layered comparison between past and present, showing how urban edges, transportation corridors, and natural features have changed—or endured—over nearly a century. It is both a technical achievement and an atmospheric record of place, preserving the geography of Grand Forks at a pivotal moment in its modern development.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Grand Forks
- East Grand Forks
- Alconer
- Landings Field
- Heart River
- Red River
- Roads and railways within the Grand Forks urban area
- Parks and green spaces around the populated areas
Historical context & cartographic details
- Map title: Grand Forks
- Produced by the U.S. Geological Survey, or USGS
- Created and published in 1934
- Historical 1:24,000 topographical map of Grand Forks, North Dakota, and surrounding areas
- Categorized as an “Advance” map
- Features a standard USGS topographical design with contour lines and a grid system
- Uses a muted color palette typical of USGS maps from this period, including brown for elevation details and blue for water bodies
- Shows elevation changes and landscape undulations through contour lines
- Highlights river systems, particularly the Red River
- Reflects the geography of Grand Forks during the 1930s, showing how urban and natural landscapes have changed 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.
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.
Or try searching for something!
