Rare Old Map of Piedmont, California by USGS, 1949: Oakland, San Francisco Bay & Grizzly Peak
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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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!
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The 1949 United States Geological Survey map titled “Oakland East” captures a richly textured portion of the East Bay at a moment...
Continue readingThe 1949 United States Geological Survey map titled “Oakland East” captures a richly textured portion of the East Bay at a moment of postwar transition. Centered on Piedmont, California, and extending across Oakland’s eastern neighborhoods toward the ridges above San Francisco Bay, the map presents both the precision of federal science and the quiet drama of a rapidly urbanizing landscape. At the 1:24,000 scale, it renders streets, parks, creeks, reservoirs, and relief with unusual clarity, allowing the viewer to read the area as both city and terrain. The detailed grid of Oakland’s expanding neighborhoods contrasts beautifully with the rising contours of the Berkeley and Oakland hills, making the map a fascinating record of land use, movement, and settlement in the late 1940s.
The USGS, founded in 1879, became the authoritative cartographic voice for the American landscape, producing maps intended for engineers, planners, scientists, and the public. “Oakland East” belongs to that tradition of rigorous observation: roads are crisply delineated, institutional grounds and parks are identified, and the geometry of urban streets is set against the organic sweep of ravines and ridgelines. Its color gradients and closely spaced contour lines give the map a dimensional quality, revealing the steepness of slopes and the complex topography that defines the East Bay. This is not merely a street plan, but a scientific portrait of place, designed to show how human settlement occupies, negotiates, and sometimes presses against the natural form of the land.
Piedmont appears here as an enclave of carefully ordered streets and residential development, surrounded by the larger fabric of Oakland. By 1949, the East Bay was being reshaped by wartime industry, postwar housing demand, automobile mobility, and expanding suburban aspirations. The map preserves that moment before later waves of freeway construction and metropolitan intensification would further transform the region. Oakland’s street grids, civic spaces, and parklands are shown with precision, while the nearby hills remind us that this urban environment was built across challenging terrain. For collectors interested in California urban history, the map offers a compelling view of how neighborhoods, roads, and open spaces were arranged in the years just after the Second World War.
The natural features depicted are especially evocative. Grizzly Peak rises along the eastern heights, part of the commanding ridge system that separates the bay-facing cities from the inland valleys. Lake Temescal, Temescal Creek, and San Pablo Reservoir speak to the hydrology of the region, where watercourses and reservoirs shaped both settlement and recreation. Redwood Park and Tilden Regional Park mark the importance of preserved open land within reach of dense urban districts, reflecting a regional vision in which wilderness, leisure, and city life coexist. The contour work surrounding these places gives a strong impression of folded hills, wooded canyons, and elevated viewpoints overlooking San Francisco Bay.
As a historical object, “Oakland East” is particularly valuable for the way it combines everyday detail with broader geographic meaning. Streets and roads appear in disciplined patterns, yet they are interrupted and redirected by creeks, slopes, parks, and reservoirs. This interplay reveals the physical logic behind the East Bay’s growth: urban development followed flatter corridors while the hills retained a more rugged, park-like character. The map is also a visual archive of late-1940s infrastructure, neighborhood form, and public land, preserving a landscape on the cusp of modern metropolitan expansion. Elegant in its restraint and exacting in its information, it invites close study as both a cartographic document and a portrait of Piedmont and Oakland’s enduring relationship with their dramatic terrain.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Piedmont
- Oakland
- San Francisco Bay
- Grizzly Peak
- Redwood Park
- Tilden Regional Park
- Lake Temescal
- San Pablo Reservoir
- Temescal Creek
- Various streets and roads marked in grid patterns
- Institutional buildings and parks indicated within the urban layout
Historical context & cartographic details
- Produced by the United States Geological Survey as a historical 1:24,000 topographical map of Piedmont, California and the surrounding area
- Created in 1949
- Published by the United States Geological Survey (USGS), a U.S. government scientific agency responsible for studying landscapes, natural resources, and natural hazards
- Uses distinct color gradients to represent elevation changes, giving the terrain a three-dimensional feel
- Features a detailed grid overlay characteristic of USGS topographical maps
- Shows varied elevation, including urban areas and expansive hilly or mountainous regions
- Uses contour lines to indicate the steepness of slopes and clarify the geography
- Reflects the landscape and urban development of the late 1940s, including changes around Piedmont in urban sprawl and land use
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.
The 1949 United States Geological Survey map titled “Oakland East” captures a richly textured portion of the East Bay at a moment of postwar transition. Centered on Piedmont, California, and extending across Oakland’s eastern neighborhoods toward the ridges above San Francisco Bay, the map presents both the precision of federal science and the quiet drama of a rapidly urbanizing landscape. At the 1:24,000 scale, it renders streets, parks, creeks, reservoirs, and relief with unusual clarity, allowing the viewer to read the area as both city and terrain. The detailed grid of Oakland’s expanding neighborhoods contrasts beautifully with the rising contours of the Berkeley and Oakland hills, making the map a fascinating record of land use, movement, and settlement in the late 1940s.
The USGS, founded in 1879, became the authoritative cartographic voice for the American landscape, producing maps intended for engineers, planners, scientists, and the public. “Oakland East” belongs to that tradition of rigorous observation: roads are crisply delineated, institutional grounds and parks are identified, and the geometry of urban streets is set against the organic sweep of ravines and ridgelines. Its color gradients and closely spaced contour lines give the map a dimensional quality, revealing the steepness of slopes and the complex topography that defines the East Bay. This is not merely a street plan, but a scientific portrait of place, designed to show how human settlement occupies, negotiates, and sometimes presses against the natural form of the land.
Piedmont appears here as an enclave of carefully ordered streets and residential development, surrounded by the larger fabric of Oakland. By 1949, the East Bay was being reshaped by wartime industry, postwar housing demand, automobile mobility, and expanding suburban aspirations. The map preserves that moment before later waves of freeway construction and metropolitan intensification would further transform the region. Oakland’s street grids, civic spaces, and parklands are shown with precision, while the nearby hills remind us that this urban environment was built across challenging terrain. For collectors interested in California urban history, the map offers a compelling view of how neighborhoods, roads, and open spaces were arranged in the years just after the Second World War.
The natural features depicted are especially evocative. Grizzly Peak rises along the eastern heights, part of the commanding ridge system that separates the bay-facing cities from the inland valleys. Lake Temescal, Temescal Creek, and San Pablo Reservoir speak to the hydrology of the region, where watercourses and reservoirs shaped both settlement and recreation. Redwood Park and Tilden Regional Park mark the importance of preserved open land within reach of dense urban districts, reflecting a regional vision in which wilderness, leisure, and city life coexist. The contour work surrounding these places gives a strong impression of folded hills, wooded canyons, and elevated viewpoints overlooking San Francisco Bay.
As a historical object, “Oakland East” is particularly valuable for the way it combines everyday detail with broader geographic meaning. Streets and roads appear in disciplined patterns, yet they are interrupted and redirected by creeks, slopes, parks, and reservoirs. This interplay reveals the physical logic behind the East Bay’s growth: urban development followed flatter corridors while the hills retained a more rugged, park-like character. The map is also a visual archive of late-1940s infrastructure, neighborhood form, and public land, preserving a landscape on the cusp of modern metropolitan expansion. Elegant in its restraint and exacting in its information, it invites close study as both a cartographic document and a portrait of Piedmont and Oakland’s enduring relationship with their dramatic terrain.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Piedmont
- Oakland
- San Francisco Bay
- Grizzly Peak
- Redwood Park
- Tilden Regional Park
- Lake Temescal
- San Pablo Reservoir
- Temescal Creek
- Various streets and roads marked in grid patterns
- Institutional buildings and parks indicated within the urban layout
Historical context & cartographic details
- Produced by the United States Geological Survey as a historical 1:24,000 topographical map of Piedmont, California and the surrounding area
- Created in 1949
- Published by the United States Geological Survey (USGS), a U.S. government scientific agency responsible for studying landscapes, natural resources, and natural hazards
- Uses distinct color gradients to represent elevation changes, giving the terrain a three-dimensional feel
- Features a detailed grid overlay characteristic of USGS topographical maps
- Shows varied elevation, including urban areas and expansive hilly or mountainous regions
- Uses contour lines to indicate the steepness of slopes and clarify the geography
- Reflects the landscape and urban development of the late 1940s, including changes around Piedmont in urban sprawl and land use
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.
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.
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