Old Map of Madisonville, Louisiana by USGS, 1935 – Covington, Lake Pontchartrain & Tchefuncte River

Published in 1949 from 1935 survey work, the US Geological Survey’s “Covington” presents a finely measured portrait of southeastern Louisiana at a moment when rural landscapes, river corridors, and small-town infrastructure still defined the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain. Centered on the Covington–Madisonville area, the map uses the disciplined language of topography—contour lines, hydrographic detail, road classifications, and settlement symbols—to translate a lowland Gulf Coast environment into an elegant scientific image. Its original title, “Covington,” anchors the sheet in St. Tammany Parish, where the Tchefuncte River, wooded tracts, and modest communities formed a distinctive regional landscape. The result is both a practical geographic document and a mid-century record of place, capturing Louisiana’s terrain before later waves of suburban expansion reshaped the area.

The mapmaker, the United States Geological Survey, brought to this sheet the authority of one of America’s most important scientific institutions. Established in the nineteenth century to classify public lands and study the nation’s geology, water, minerals, and hazards, the USGS became synonymous with precise, standardized topographic mapping. This “Covington” quadrangle reflects that mission in its careful balance of natural and built features: streams are drawn with clarity, roads and railways are given their proper hierarchy, and settlement patterns appear without embellishment yet with remarkable descriptive power. The map is not merely a view of the land; it is a system of observation. Every symbol participates in a broader federal effort to make the American landscape legible, measurable, and useful.

Madisonville appears as one of the sheet’s most evocative focal points, set near the Tchefuncte River and closely tied to the watery geography of Lake Pontchartrain. Historically, Madisonville’s position on navigable water gave it commercial and cultural importance within St. Tammany Parish, linking inland forests and farms to the broader Gulf Coast world. The river itself is a defining feature of the map, winding through the terrain and shaping the placement of roads, settlements, and low-lying natural areas. Nearby Covington, long associated with the north shore’s wooded setting and regional connections, gives the quadrangle its name. Together, these places reveal a landscape organized around waterways, transportation routes, and small communities rather than metropolitan density.

The topographic character of the sheet is especially compelling because southeastern Louisiana’s relief is subtle, and the USGS contour work makes even modest changes in elevation visible. The contour lines trace gentle rises, shallow depressions, and the margins of riverine terrain, allowing the viewer to understand how land and water interlock across the parish. Forested areas and rural tracts suggest a region still deeply connected to timber, agriculture, and the rhythms of the natural environment. Lake Pontchartrain’s presence broadens the geographic context, reminding us that this interior-looking map is also part of a coastal system shaped by drainage, wetlands, storms, and changing shorelines. The design renders this complex environment with understated precision.

As a historical document, “Covington” captures the region before the dramatic growth that later transformed much of St. Tammany Parish into a suburban extension of Greater New Orleans. The roads and railway lines shown here speak to mid-twentieth-century mobility, while the scattered settlements and rural corridors preserve evidence of a more lightly developed landscape. In the decades after the survey, improved transportation, population growth, and environmental pressures altered the balance between town, forest, river, and lake. For collectors, the map’s appeal lies in that layered perspective: it is at once a scientific survey, a record of local geography, and a window into Louisiana’s north shore before modern development redrew the human pattern across the land.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Madisonville
• Covington
• Lake Pontchartrain
• Tchefuncte River
• Various roads and railway lines
• Surrounding forests and natural areas
• Implied neighborhoods and rural regions near Madisonville and Covington

Historical context & cartographic details

• Map title: Covington
• Produced by the United States Geological Survey (USGS)
• Created in 1935 and published in 1949
• Historical 1:62,500 topographical map based on survey data
• Reflects the USGS tradition of precise geographic documentation and scientific mapping
• Uses symbols and colors to distinguish landforms, water bodies, and human-made structures
• Well-defined contour lines show elevation changes and regional relief
• Captures the area’s mid-20th-century geography and infrastructure
• Provides a historical snapshot of a landscape later affected by urban development and environmental change

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.