Loading map...

1903 Map of Deal Island

Name: 1903 Topographic Map of Deal Island
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1903
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1903

About this map

Tangier Sound and the intricate marshlands of Somerset County dominate this 1900 survey, revealing a landscape defined by the water-based economies of the Chesapeake Bay. Remote outposts like Smith Island and Deal Island are shown with their clustered settlements at Wenona and Chance, where narrow thorofares and creeks provide the only reliable transport routes. On the mainland, the N.Y.P. and N. R. R. Crisfield Branch cuts through the marshes to reach Hopewell and Ward, supporting the region's shipping needs.

Evidence of maritime navigation is clear through the placement of Sharkfin Shoal L.H. and Great Shoals L.H., marking critical hazards for vessels moving between the Nanticoke River and Fishing Bay. Further inland, established hamlets such as Upper Fairmount, Oriole, and Mt. Vernon are connected by early road networks that skirt the edges of the Monie Bay and Manokin river systems, illustrating the delicate balance between high ground and tidal marsh.