1942 Map of Barren Island

About this map

Barren Island sits as a narrow, fragmented landmass within the Chesapeake Bay, illustrating the complex coastal dynamics of Dorchester County during the early 1940s. The map captures a landscape defined by water and marsh, where narrow passages like the Barren I Thorofare and larger openings such as Barren Island Gap divide the silted shoreline. To the north, the mainland reaches out at Meekins Neck, while maritime safety is marked by the presence of the Cedar Point Lighthouse and the distant Hooper Island Lighthouse. This survey documents a critical period of coastal formation before further erosion and modern preservation efforts altered the visible footprints of landforms like Opossum Island Bay and The Big Broads. The boundary lines crossing the bay reflect the intersecting jurisdictions of Dorchester, Calvert, and St. Marys counties.