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1944 Map of Cape May

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

USGS Topo · Published 1944

About this map

Cape May and its surrounding peninsula appear here during a critical period of wartime defense and infrastructure development. The landscape is defined by the recently completed Cape May Canal, which severed the tip of the peninsula from Lower Township to provide a protected route for vessels between Delaware Bay and Cape May Harbor. Coastal defense is prominent, with the Cape May Coast Artillery Reserve situated near Cape May Point and its iconic Cape May Lighthouse.

Rail transport remains vital to the region's economy, as both the Reading Seashore Lines and Pennsylvania Seashore Lines converge at Harbor Branch Junction to serve the growing seaside communities. The map captures established settlements like West Cape May, Cold Spring, and Erma, along with maritime landmarks such as Schellenger Ldg and the US Navy Radio Tower at Sewell Point. Small water bodies like Lake Lily and Pond Cr dot the southern marshes before the major mid-century transformations of the coastline.