Old Map of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania by USGS, 1959 – Lehigh River & Lehigh Valley

Titled “Westover,” this historical US Geological Survey topographical map presents Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and its surrounding country with the precision and quiet authority characteristic of mid-century federal cartography. Created from 1959 mapping and issued with a 1960 imprint, it captures the Lehigh Valley at a pivotal moment: still deeply shaped by heavy industry, rail transport, and river commerce, yet on the threshold of major economic and suburban change. At a detailed 1:24,000 scale, the map records not merely streets and settlements, but the physical structure beneath them—hills, valleys, wooded slopes, waterways, and corridors of movement. Its title evokes the quadrangle tradition of USGS mapping, in which local landscapes were rendered as part of a systematic national portrait.

The United States Geological Survey, founded in 1879, became one of the most important scientific mapping institutions in the world, tasked with documenting the nation’s terrain, resources, hazards, and environmental change. By the 1950s, USGS topographic maps had reached a refined visual language: legible, restrained, and exceptionally informative. “Westover” uses the familiar palette of green woodland shading, fine brown contour lines, blue hydrography, and crisp cultural detail to distinguish natural and human-made features. Roads, railways, urban blocks, and rural lanes are integrated into a landscape whose relief remains central. This is not simply a map of where things are, but of how terrain governs settlement, industry, travel, and growth.

Bethlehem is the central historical presence on the map, a city whose identity was long intertwined with Bethlehem Steel, one of the defining industrial enterprises of twentieth-century America. The Lehigh River, shown as both a natural feature and an industrial artery, helped make the region a hub of manufacturing, transportation, and labor. Rail lines and road networks suggest the movement of raw materials, workers, and finished goods through the valley, while surrounding neighborhoods reveal the expansion of the city beyond its earlier core. Seen today, the map preserves Bethlehem before the later decline of the steel industry dramatically altered its economy, skyline, and civic imagination.

Beyond the urban fabric, “Westover” reveals a varied topographic setting of hills, adjacent valleys, and forested tracts. The contour lines articulate subtle and pronounced elevation changes, giving the viewer a vivid sense of the rolling Pennsylvania landscape that frames Bethlehem. Green shading marks wooded areas and rural margins, contrasting with the denser street patterns of settled districts. This interplay between city and countryside is one of the map’s most compelling qualities: industrial Bethlehem appears not as an isolated urban center, but as part of a broader ecological and geological setting. The surrounding slopes, streams, roads, and open land speak to a region still balanced between agricultural inheritance and metropolitan growth.

As a historical document, the map is especially valuable for understanding mid-century development in the Lehigh Valley. It records Bethlehem and its environs before later decades brought deindustrialization, redevelopment, highway expansion, and changing land use. Local parks, small landmarks, neighborhood patterns, rail corridors, and rural roads together form a layered snapshot of place, one that rewards close study. The restrained USGS style lends the map an understated elegance, allowing information rather than ornament to command attention. For collectors interested in Pennsylvania history, industrial landscapes, or the evolution of American topographic mapping, “Westover” offers a richly detailed view of a region at the height of its industrial-era complexity.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
• Lehigh River
• Various roads and railways
• Adjacent valleys and forested areas
• Notable hills and elevation changes
• Neighborhoods surrounding Bethlehem
• Small local parks or landmarks

Historical context & cartographic details

• Produced by the US Geological Survey (USGS)
• Historical 1:24,000 topographical map of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and surrounding areas
• Created in 1959 with a 1960 imprint
• The US Geological Survey, established in 1879, specializes in mapping and studying U.S. resources, hazards, and environmental change
• Bethlehem is known for its industrial history and cultural heritage, particularly its connection to the steel industry
• Uses a clear USGS color scheme, including shades of green and topographic contour lines to show elevation and terrain
• Reflects a hilly, partly rural landscape, with green indicating forested areas
• Serves as a historical reference for Bethlehem’s urban development and later transformation following the decline of the steel industry

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.