Titled “Lake Murray West,” this United States Geological Survey topographical map presents the western reaches of one of South Carolina’s most distinctive inland waterscapes. Dated 1971 and published with a 1974 imprint, it captures Lake Murray and its surrounding communities at a moment when the reservoir was already firmly established as both an engineered landmark and a beloved recreational destination. At the classic 1:24,000 USGS scale, the map offers a remarkably intimate view of shorelines, roads, waterways, county boundaries, and settlement patterns. Its clean cartographic language—contour lines, blue hydrography, road classifications, and standardized symbols—transforms a complex landscape of coves, ridges, streams, and rural roads into a precise and elegant record of place.

The map was produced by the United States Geological Survey, an institution founded in 1879 and long regarded as the definitive authority for American topographic mapping. USGS quadrangles such as this one were created not merely as navigational aids, but as instruments of science, planning, infrastructure, and public knowledge. Their disciplined visual style reflects a national mapping tradition rooted in field survey, aerial photography, and rigorous geographic standardization. In “Lake Murray West,” that tradition is evident in the fine contouring of rolling Piedmont terrain, the careful delineation of watercourses, and the practical depiction of roads and community features. The result is both utilitarian and historically expressive: a federal survey document that preserves the landscape as it was understood in the early 1970s.

Lake Murray itself dominates the composition, its irregular shoreline revealing the story of a human-made reservoir imposed upon an older riverine landscape. Created in the 1920s by damming the Saluda River, the lake flooded valleys, farms, and stream corridors to form a vast body of water serving hydroelectric, recreational, and regional-development purposes. By the time this map was issued, Lake Murray had become a major center for boating, fishing, lakeside living, and outdoor recreation. The map’s branching coves and peninsulas make visible the drowned topography beneath the water’s surface, where former valleys became inlets and upland ridges became shorefront promontories. Its blue expanse is therefore both scenic and historical, marking one of South Carolina’s great twentieth-century landscape transformations.

Around the reservoir, the map situates communities and districts that help define this part of the Midlands, including Chapin, Ballentine, Irmo, Dutch Fork, and portions of Lexington and Newberry Counties. The road network is especially revealing, showing the arteries that connected rural settlements, lake access points, and expanding residential areas before later waves of suburban growth reshaped the region. Smaller streams, including the Little River and tributaries feeding toward the Saluda system, trace the hydrological structure that preceded and supported the reservoir. Nearby references to the Broad River and the broader watershed context place Lake Murray within a larger Piedmont drainage landscape. Together, these details make the map an evocative record of settlement, movement, water management, and regional identity.

As a topographical artifact, “Lake Murray West” is particularly valuable for the way it documents land use and environmental conditions during the early 1970s. The contour lines reveal the gentle but varied relief of the South Carolina Piedmont, while the mapped roads, recreational areas, parks, and lakeside developments suggest a region in transition from rural hinterland to leisure-oriented landscape. For collectors, historians, anglers, boaters, and those with ties to the Midlands, the map offers more than geographic information: it is a snapshot of a changing shoreline and its communities at a specific historical moment. Its measured USGS design gives the scene authority and clarity, while the subject itself—Lake Murray’s intricate meeting of water, land, and human ambition—lends it enduring regional fascination.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Lake Murray
• Saluda River
• Chapin
• Ballentine
• Irmo
• Little River
• Dutch Fork
• Newberry County
• Lexington County
• Broad River
• Lake Murray Dam
• Various roads
• Recreational areas and parks around the reservoir

Historical context & cartographic details

• Produced by the United States Geological Survey as a historical 1:24,000 topographical map.
• Dated 1971 and published in 1974, reflecting detailed survey data from that period.
• The USGS has been a primary source for topographical and geological maps in the United States since 1879.
• Lake Murray was created in the 1920s by damming the Saluda River, transforming valleys and riverways into a major reservoir.
• The map uses a clear, functional USGS topographic style with contour lines, color, and standardized symbols.
• Roads, water bodies, boundaries, terrain, and elevation changes are shown using traditional topographic mapping conventions.
• The map provides insight into the landscape, development, land use, and environmental conditions of the Lake Murray area in the early 1970s.

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.