1916 Map of Casco Bay

About this map

The coastal defense network of Cumberland County is meticulously documented in this 1916 survey, showcasing a landscape of maritime industry and military readiness. Heavy fortifications like Fort McKinley on Great Diamond Island, Fort Williams, and Fort Preble guard the approaches to Portland and South Portland. The map details the complex navigation of Casco Bay, from the White Head Passage to the outer Atlantic Ocean reach marked by the Cape Elizabeth Lightship. Inland, the Portland and Yarmouth Electric RR connects coastal settlements such as Falmouth Foreside and Underwood Spring. This edition reveals the early 20th-century character of the shoreline, where local life at Pond Cove and Willard Beach exists alongside significant federal facilities like the Marine Hospital and the Quarantine Station. It is an essential document for understanding the strategic and social geography of the Maine coast before mid-century modernization changed the waterfront.