1898 Map of Choptank

About this map

Annapolis and its vital maritime approaches define the western edge of this coastal survey, where the Severn River and South River meet the Chesapeake Bay. The map captures a detailed snapshot of late 19th-century waterborne commerce and travel, anchored by the Annapolis & Baltimore Short Line R.R. and the Annapolis & Elk Ridge R.R. serving the state capital. Eastward across the bay, the complex geography of Kent Island and the Eastern Shore reveals a network of landings and ferries essential to local life, including Browns Ldg Ferry and Foreman Landing. Small settlements like Dominion, Winchester, and Wye Mills are connected by a landscape of necks and points, such as Bats Neck and Tilghman Pt.. Safety for bay navigators is marked by the Bloody Pt. Bar Light, signaling the transition into Eastern Bay.