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1944 Map of Cape Henlopen

Name: 1944 Topographic Map of Cape Henlopen
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1944
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1944

About this map

Cape Henlopen stands at the critical junction where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean, a maritime landscape dominated by protective infrastructure and shifting sands. Compiled during the Second World War by the War Department and Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, this map details the strategic shoreline of Sussex County. The town of Lewes serves as the inland hub, connected by the Pennsylvania railroad line, while the coast is marked by the Cape Henlopen Light, multiple Coast Guard Sta locations, and the defensive Breakwater Harbor.

Inland, the geography transitions from coastal marshlands and ponds like Gordon Pond and Red Mill Pond to agricultural clusters and small settlements. Researchers will find precise locations for the West Hill Sch and community junctions such as Wescoat Corners and Murray Corners. The northern shoreline is defined by Broadkill Neck and the Broadkill River, illustrating a period when maritime navigation and coastal defense were paramount to the region's identity.