1941 Map of Broadwater

About this map

Hog Island dominates this maritime landscape along the Virginia coast, serving as the site for the settlement of Broadwater. This survey by the U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey reveals a complex network of coastal waterways and shifting sands during the early 1940s. The entire area is noted as being less than 20 feet above mean sea level, emphasizing the fragile nature of these barrier islands. A significant Cable Area and the Little Machipongo Inlet C G S station highlight the strategic and navigational importance of this stretch of the Atlantic Ocean. Numerous navigable paths such as Sloop Channel, Cutter Channel, and Heather Channel wind through the marshy interior behind the islands, providing vital passages between the open sea and the mainland of Accomac County and Northampton County.