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1920 Map of Crisfield

Name: 1920 Topographic Map of Crisfield
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1920
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1920

About this map

Crisfield serves as the focal point for this 1920 tactical survey, showing a maritime landscape defined by tidal marshes and intricate waterways. This era reflects the peak of the Chesapeake Bay's seafood economy, where the N.Y.P. & N. R.R. (New York, Philadelphia and Norfolk Railroad) connected the coastal landings to northern markets. The map reveals clustered waterman communities such as Sackertown, Jersey, and Lawsonia on the mainland, while isolated settlements like Tangier and Ewell are reachable only by water across Tangier Sound.

Lighthouses including Janes Island L.H. and Tangier Sound L.H. mark the critical maritime channels of Pocomoke Sound and Kedge Straits. The detailed hydrography traces the Steamboat Route through the shallows, emphasizing the reliance on steam and rail transport before modern highway infrastructure. Notable island features like Watts Island, Great Fox Island, and the low-lying reaches of Smith Island appear in their pre-erosion state, documenting a shoreline where the entire area sits less than ten feet above mean sea level.