1954 Map of Buckhorn

About this map

The Tidewater landscape of Nansemond County is defined by a dense network of swampy lowlands and agricultural crossroads during the mid-20th century. Quaker Swamp, Jones Swamp, and Cypress Swamp weave through the southern half of the quadrangle, bordering historic community centers like the Somerton Friends Meeting House and Zion Ch. The intersection of rail and rural life is evident at Buckhorn (Purvis Sta), where the Seaboard Coast Line meets the northern reaches of the county. In the northeast, Kilby and the reservoir at Lake Cohoon mark the transition toward more settled areas, while smaller hamlets like Nurneysville and Manning remain centered on local roads such as Jackson Road. This survey, updated with 1968 aerial revisions, captures the area just before significant modern development altered the rural character of these established Virginia settlements.