Rare Old Map of Northampton, Massachusetts by USGS, 1939: Easthampton, Mount Tom & Connecticut River
Restored in our London workshop from the original 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
My maps are rare, museum-grade, restored old maps sourced from libraries, auction houses and private collections across the globe. Full description
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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.
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Published in 1939 by the U.S. Geological Survey, “Easthampton” presents the Connecticut River Valley of western Massachusetts with the disciplined elegance of...
Continue readingPublished in 1939 by the U.S. Geological Survey, “Easthampton” presents the Connecticut River Valley of western Massachusetts with the disciplined elegance of American topographical cartography. Drawn at a scale of 1:31,680, the map translates a landscape of mill towns, river corridors, rail lines, and wooded uplands into a precise visual language of contours, color, and relief. Its date is especially evocative: this is Northampton and Easthampton on the eve of the Second World War, before postwar suburban expansion reshaped roads, settlement edges, and patterns of land use. The map captures a region still closely organized around rivers, railways, village centers, and the commanding presence of Mount Tom.
The U.S. Geological Survey brought to this map the authority of an institution created to measure, classify, and understand the nation’s terrain. By the late 1930s, USGS topographic sheets had become indispensable tools for engineers, planners, geologists, military readers, and travelers alike. Here, contour lines do more than indicate elevation; they reveal the structural drama of the landscape, from the steeper slopes around Mount Tom and Whiting Peak to the gentler lowlands near Northampton and the Connecticut River. The map’s careful symbology records roads, railways, watercourses, settlements, and wooded areas with a clarity that reflects the scientific confidence of interwar American mapping.
Northampton occupies a central historical role on the map, its streets and surrounding neighborhoods set within a fertile valley long shaped by agriculture, education, religion, and industry. Known for its cultural life and academic institutions, the town appears here not as an isolated urban center but as part of a wider geographical system: connected by rail corridors, crossed by roads, and bounded by riverine and upland terrain. Nearby Florence and the area around Pomeroy Terrace add further texture, evoking a landscape of village industry, residential districts, and civic development. College Hill and surrounding elevations hint at how topography influenced both settlement and prestige within the townscape.
To the south and west, Easthampton, Southampton, Glendale, and the Manhan River valley reveal a different but closely related geography. The Manhan River threads through a landscape where waterpower, transportation, and industry historically shaped local growth. Little Lake and nearby wetlands soften the map’s engineered lines, while roads and railways show the practical networks that linked factory villages, farms, and market towns. The contours around Easthampton show how settlement gathered in the more hospitable valley floors while wooded ridges and higher ground remained comparatively open. This interplay between natural constraint and human adaptation gives the map much of its enduring historical richness.
Mount Tom State Reservation provides one of the map’s most compelling visual anchors, rising dramatically above the Connecticut River and the settled lowlands below. The contouring around Mount Tom and Whiting Peak conveys a terrain of steep ascents, scenic overlooks, and recreational promise, while also marking an important natural landmark in the Pioneer Valley. Parks and trails shown in the surrounding area point to an early twentieth-century appreciation of public landscapes and outdoor leisure. In combination, the rivers, hills, railways, villages, and reservations make “Easthampton” more than a navigational document: it is a portrait of a Massachusetts valley at a pivotal historical moment.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Northampton
- Easthampton
- Glendale
- Florence
- Southampton
- Mount Tom
- Connecticut River
- Manhan River
- Little Lake
- Mount Tom State Reservation
- Whiting Peak
- College Hill
- Roads and railways adjacent to Northampton and Easthampton
- Parks and recreational trails
- Area surrounding Pomeroy Terrace
Historical context & cartographic details
- Published by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), a major governmental mapping body responsible for assessing natural resources and hazards.
- Created in 1939, placing the map in pre-World War II America.
- Drawn at a 1:31,680 scale as a detailed topographical map.
- Uses contour lines, shaded relief, and color to represent elevation, landforms, and terrain types.
- Shows a varied landscape of hills and valleys, with contour lines indicating changes in elevation.
- Reflects land use, settlement patterns, and infrastructure before later urban development and environmental change.
- Highlights how natural features influenced settlement and development in the Northampton and Easthampton area.
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 1939 by the U.S. Geological Survey, “Easthampton” presents the Connecticut River Valley of western Massachusetts with the disciplined elegance of American topographical cartography. Drawn at a scale of 1:31,680, the map translates a landscape of mill towns, river corridors, rail lines, and wooded uplands into a precise visual language of contours, color, and relief. Its date is especially evocative: this is Northampton and Easthampton on the eve of the Second World War, before postwar suburban expansion reshaped roads, settlement edges, and patterns of land use. The map captures a region still closely organized around rivers, railways, village centers, and the commanding presence of Mount Tom.
The U.S. Geological Survey brought to this map the authority of an institution created to measure, classify, and understand the nation’s terrain. By the late 1930s, USGS topographic sheets had become indispensable tools for engineers, planners, geologists, military readers, and travelers alike. Here, contour lines do more than indicate elevation; they reveal the structural drama of the landscape, from the steeper slopes around Mount Tom and Whiting Peak to the gentler lowlands near Northampton and the Connecticut River. The map’s careful symbology records roads, railways, watercourses, settlements, and wooded areas with a clarity that reflects the scientific confidence of interwar American mapping.
Northampton occupies a central historical role on the map, its streets and surrounding neighborhoods set within a fertile valley long shaped by agriculture, education, religion, and industry. Known for its cultural life and academic institutions, the town appears here not as an isolated urban center but as part of a wider geographical system: connected by rail corridors, crossed by roads, and bounded by riverine and upland terrain. Nearby Florence and the area around Pomeroy Terrace add further texture, evoking a landscape of village industry, residential districts, and civic development. College Hill and surrounding elevations hint at how topography influenced both settlement and prestige within the townscape.
To the south and west, Easthampton, Southampton, Glendale, and the Manhan River valley reveal a different but closely related geography. The Manhan River threads through a landscape where waterpower, transportation, and industry historically shaped local growth. Little Lake and nearby wetlands soften the map’s engineered lines, while roads and railways show the practical networks that linked factory villages, farms, and market towns. The contours around Easthampton show how settlement gathered in the more hospitable valley floors while wooded ridges and higher ground remained comparatively open. This interplay between natural constraint and human adaptation gives the map much of its enduring historical richness.
Mount Tom State Reservation provides one of the map’s most compelling visual anchors, rising dramatically above the Connecticut River and the settled lowlands below. The contouring around Mount Tom and Whiting Peak conveys a terrain of steep ascents, scenic overlooks, and recreational promise, while also marking an important natural landmark in the Pioneer Valley. Parks and trails shown in the surrounding area point to an early twentieth-century appreciation of public landscapes and outdoor leisure. In combination, the rivers, hills, railways, villages, and reservations make “Easthampton” more than a navigational document: it is a portrait of a Massachusetts valley at a pivotal historical moment.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Northampton
- Easthampton
- Glendale
- Florence
- Southampton
- Mount Tom
- Connecticut River
- Manhan River
- Little Lake
- Mount Tom State Reservation
- Whiting Peak
- College Hill
- Roads and railways adjacent to Northampton and Easthampton
- Parks and recreational trails
- Area surrounding Pomeroy Terrace
Historical context & cartographic details
- Published by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), a major governmental mapping body responsible for assessing natural resources and hazards.
- Created in 1939, placing the map in pre-World War II America.
- Drawn at a 1:31,680 scale as a detailed topographical map.
- Uses contour lines, shaded relief, and color to represent elevation, landforms, and terrain types.
- Shows a varied landscape of hills and valleys, with contour lines indicating changes in elevation.
- Reflects land use, settlement patterns, and infrastructure before later urban development and environmental change.
- Highlights how natural features influenced settlement and development in the Northampton and Easthampton area.
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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