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1895 Map of Brandywine

Name: 1895 Topographic Map of Brandywine
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1895
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1895

About this map

The dense wetlands of Zekiah Swamp dominate the southern landscape of this 1895 survey, which documents the rural interior of Southern Maryland before modern suburbanization. At the center of the region's commerce and transit, Brandywine serves as a critical junction for the Pope Creek Branch of the Baltimore and Potomac R. R. Many settlements are noted with dual identities, such as Malcolm (Woodville) and Duffield (Middletown), providing essential clues for genealogists tracing ancestral property.

From the Reform School in the north to Port Tobacco Sta. in the southwest, the map traces the early development of Waldorf and La Plata during their era as railroad-oriented market towns. The distribution of curious place names like T.B. and Burnt Store suggests a landscape shaped by local landmarks and early crossroads trade. The intricate hydrology of Piscataway Creek and Mattawoman Creek defines the local topography, marking the boundary between Prince George's and Charles counties.