1977 Map of Corapeake

About this map

Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge dominates the eastern half of this landscape, where the dark, saturated forest meets the engineered drainage systems of the late 1970s. This orthophotomap, based on 1973 aerial photography, reveals the stark contrast between the dense, undisturbed wetlands and the expanding agricultural clearings to the west. A complex network of canals and ditches, including Corapeake Ditch, Lateral Ditch Number One, and Cross Canal, illustrates long-standing efforts to manage the water levels of this ancient pocosin. Settlement is concentrated along higher ground, with the community of Corapeake and Holly Grove serving as anchors for the local rural population. Traces of historical industry and transportation appear in the form of a Railroad Grade and scattered cemeteries near Cypress Chapel, marking where human activity pushed against the edge of Dragon Swamp and Moss Swamp.