Old Map of Williams, Arizona by USGS, 1962 – Bill Williams Mountain & Kaibab National Forest

Titled “Bill Williams Mtn,” this United States Geological Survey topographical map was surveyed in 1962 and published with a 1964 imprint, capturing the Williams, Arizona region at a moment when the high country of northern Arizona remained far less developed than today. Drawn at the detailed 1:62,500 scale, it presents the terrain around Williams with the clarity and precision for which the USGS became renowned. Contour lines describe the rise and fall of the Colorado Plateau landscape, while green woodland tinting marks the extensive forest cover that surrounds the town. Roads, trails, drainages, and scattered lakes are carefully plotted, offering a richly textured portrait of a mountain gateway community before later waves of tourism, highway growth, and regional development altered its surroundings.

At the center of the map’s geographic drama is Bill Williams Mountain, the prominent volcanic peak rising south of Williams and long a defining landmark of the area. Named for the nineteenth-century mountain man and missionary William Sherley “Old Bill” Williams, the mountain anchors the map both topographically and historically. Its slopes, ridges, and surrounding canyons are rendered through tightly spaced contour lines that convey the steep ascent from the plateau floor. The map makes clear why this summit has served as a navigational reference point for travelers, ranchers, foresters, and surveyors alike. Around it, the terrain breaks into a complex pattern of valleys, wooded uplands, intermittent waterways, and mountain tracks, all characteristic of the rugged transition zone between plateau and forested highlands.

Williams itself appears as the principal settlement, situated along transport corridors that helped define its role as a northern Arizona hub. Historically associated with rail travel, timber, ranching, and access to the Grand Canyon region, Williams occupies a strategic position between mountain forest and open plateau. On the map, its urban footprint is modest, underscoring how compact the town remained in the early 1960s. Roads and trails radiate through the surrounding country, tracing connections into the Kaibab National Forest and toward nearby canyons, lakes, and recreational lands. The careful depiction of infrastructure reveals a landscape in practical use: a working terrain of forest roads, rural routes, water sources, and access paths rather than the more heavily built environment familiar today.

The surrounding natural features give the map much of its visual and historical richness. Bear Canyon, Girdner Canyon, Barlow Canyon, and Little Rattlesnake Canyon carve through the uplands, their drainage lines and enclosing slopes emphasizing the erosive power that shaped this part of Arizona. Small lakes, streams, and intermittent watercourses appear throughout the sheet, especially valuable details in an arid and seasonally dry region. Lake Mary and the lands toward the Coconino National Forest suggest the broader ecological setting of ponderosa pine forests, volcanic soils, grassy openings, and high-elevation watersheds. The map’s green forest shading contrasts elegantly with the paler tones of more open or elevated ground, creating a vivid topographic reading of vegetation, relief, and landform.

As a USGS production, “Bill Williams Mtn” exemplifies mid-twentieth-century American scientific cartography: exacting, restrained, and profoundly informative. Founded in 1879, the United States Geological Survey played an essential role in mapping the nation’s terrain, water systems, mineral resources, and public lands, and maps such as this one translated field survey into practical geographic knowledge. Its top-down design, contour intervals, road classifications, forest boundaries, and hydrographic detail were intended for engineers, land managers, hikers, scientists, and local authorities. Today, the map also serves as a historical document of land use and settlement patterns in 1960s northern Arizona. It preserves a measured view of Williams and Bill Williams Mountain before subsequent growth, making it both a cartographic record and a window into the region’s recent past.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Williams, Arizona
• Kaibab National Forest
• Bear Canyon
• Girdner Canyon
• Bill Williams Mountain
• Barlow Canyon
• Lake Mary
• Little Rattlesnake Canyon
• Coconino National Forest
• Various small lakes and streams
• Roads and trails throughout the region

Historical context & cartographic details

• Historical USGS topographical map titled “Bill Williams Mtn”
• Shows Williams, Arizona and the surrounding area at a scale of 1:62,500
• Dated 1962 with a 1964 imprint
• Produced by the United States Geological Survey (USGS)
• Features a top-down cartographic perspective with contour lines indicating elevation changes
• Uses vibrant green to show vegetative areas, with lighter shades indicating higher elevations
• Depicts varied terrain with hills, valleys, and significant elevation shifts typical of the Colorado Plateau region
• Serves as a historical record of the area when it was likely less developed, with less urban infrastructure than today

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.