Published in 1971 from survey data gathered in 1967, the US Geological Survey’s “Rome North” captures a poised moment in the landscape history of northwest Georgia. At the exacting 1:24,000 scale, the map records Rome and its northern approaches with the clarity that made USGS quadrangles indispensable to planners, engineers, historians, and travelers. The city appears not as an abstraction, but as a living arrangement of streets, residential districts, transportation corridors, waterways, and open land. Its late-1960s geography is especially compelling: urban growth is visible, yet still closely interwoven with hills, valleys, wooded tracts, and riverine terrain. The result is a richly informative portrait of Rome before later decades of expansion reshaped the pattern of settlement.

The cartographic language of the map is classic USGS topography: precise, disciplined, and quietly beautiful. Contour lines articulate the hilly character of the region, transforming the sheet into a readable model of ridges, slopes, and lowlands. Elevation changes are not merely technical details here; they explain the city’s form, the placement of roads, the curve of neighborhoods, and the relationship between developed land and surrounding countryside. Subtle color distinctions and shaded relief help separate built-up areas, wooded regions, water features, and transportation routes. Residential districts, shown with red urban shading, stand in contrast to the softer tones of parks, forests, and undeveloped terrain, giving the viewer an immediate sense of Rome’s balance between town and landscape.

Rome, Georgia, occupies a historically significant position at the meeting of land routes and waterways. The Coosa River system, one of the defining natural features of the area, anchors the region’s geography and influenced settlement, commerce, and movement long before the modern road network took shape. Nearby lakes and river features, including the broader presence of Lake Weiss within the regional hydrological setting, speak to the importance of water in shaping both travel and recreation. On this map, water bodies and adjacent lowlands are rendered with particular care, emphasizing how rivers, banks, and valleys structure the surrounding terrain. These features offer a geographical memory of a city whose development has always been tied to its waterways.

Transportation is another of the map’s great narratives. U.S. Route 27 and State Route 1 appear as essential arteries, connecting Rome to the wider region and tracing routes through the folds of the landscape. Railway lines further enrich the scene, recalling the industrial and commercial networks that helped define the city’s modern identity. The airport, identified on the map, marks another layer of twentieth-century mobility, placing Rome within the broader era of postwar infrastructural expansion. Together, roads, rails, and aviation facilities reveal a community in transition: locally rooted, yet increasingly connected. The map therefore functions not only as a topographical record, but as a compact history of movement, access, and regional development.

As a work of the US Geological Survey, “Rome North” embodies the agency’s reputation for authoritative, meticulous mapping. Founded to systematically document the nation’s terrain and natural resources, the USGS produced maps that served both practical and scholarly purposes, from land-use planning and conservation to hiking, engineering, and historical research. This particular quadrangle preserves the Rome area as it was understood in the late 1960s, making it valuable for comparison with present-day growth patterns, altered land uses, and changing infrastructure. Parks such as John M. Jones Park, forested regions, residential zones, hills, valleys, rivers, and transport corridors all come together in a finely detailed geographical record of a distinctive Georgia landscape.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Rome, Georgia
• Coosa River
• Lake Weiss
• John M. Jones Park
• U.S. Route 27
• State Route 1
• Airport identified on the map
• Hills and valleys shown through contour lines
• Residential areas shown in red shading
• Parks and forested regions
• Railway lines
• Water bodies and adjacent features

Historical context & cartographic details

• Historical 1:24,000 topographical map of Rome, Georgia, and nearby areas
• Created using survey data from 1967 and published in 1971
• Made by the US Geological Survey, known for detailed topographical mapping
• Provides a detailed geographical record of the region in the late 1960s
• Useful for comparing historic geography with modern urban development and land use changes
• Shows a mix of urban and natural landscapes, including hilly terrain, rivers, and lakes
• Uses contour lines to illustrate elevation changes and topographical character
• Includes a legend indicating different land uses
• Features shaded relief and varying colors to represent elevation and landscape differences

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.