1943 Map of Boxiron

About this map

Boxiron sits at the head of a complex maritime landscape where the Maryland and Virginia border divides the salt marshes and shallow reaches of Chincoteague Bay. This 1943 survey, compiled from air photographs by the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, reveals a shoreline defined by dozens of small landings and "tumps"—small rises of land amidst the tidal wetlands. Navigation and coastal commerce are central to the geography, evidenced by names like Figgs Landing, Truitt Landing, and Scarboro Landing, which served as vital access points to the interior of Snow Hill and Stockton. The map details a fragile ecosystem of hammocks and marshes, including Scott Hammocks and Pikes Creek Marsh, protected by the barrier beaches of Assateague Island and Pope Island. This coastal network of islands, such as Mills Island and Tizzard Island, represents the historic Waterman culture of the Eastern Shore before modern development altered these remote shorelines.