1942 Map of Cape Romain

About this map

Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge dominates this coastal survey, preserving a complex of barrier islands and salt marshes along the South Carolina coast during the early 1940s. The landscape is defined by the shifting sands of Cape Island and Lighthouse Island, which protect the inner waters of Cape Romain Harbor. The northern portion of the sheet shows the transition from the Atlantic Ocean to the mainland through a network of tidal passages including Alligator Creek and Ramhorn Creek. The map documents the vital maritime artery of the Intracoastal Waterway as it cuts behind Murphy Island. This area marks the political boundary between two counties, defined by the South Santee River, showing the natural geography that shaped local navigation and land use before mid-century development altered the regional coastline.