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1943 Map of Barren Island

Name: 1943 Topographic Map of Barren Island
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1943
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1943

About this map

Cedar Point Lighthouse and Hooper Island Lighthouse serve as primary maritime markers in this coastal survey of the lower Eastern Shore during the early 1940s. The landscape is dominated by the narrow, salt-sprayed profile of Barren Island, separated from the mainland by the Barren Island Gap. The intricate shoreline reveals numerous small inlets and points, such as Grog Cove, Houston Pt, and Opossum Island, which illustrate the complex tidal environment of the mid-Chesapeake.

Navigational hazards and marshy terrain are prominent, with features like The Big Broads and The Marshes defining the northern boundary near Meekins Neck. The map provides a precise view of the tri-county water boundaries where Dorchester, Calvert, and St. Marys counties meet in the open waters of the Chesapeake Bay. This documentation reflects a moment before significant coastal erosion further altered these fragile barrier islands and low-lying necks.