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1899 Map of Dover

Name: 1899 Topographic Map of Dover
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1899
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1899

About this map

The Delaware River and its intricate network of tidal creeks define this late nineteenth-century landscape, where water-borne commerce and early rail lines converge. Significant maritime infrastructure is visible along the coast, including the St. Augustine Light and Bombay Hook Light, which guided vessels through the Delaware Bay. Inland, the economy of Kent Co. and its neighbors is anchored by river landings such as Smyrna Ldg. and Wilson Point Wharf, alongside industrial sites like Bohemia Mills.

The survey captures a vital transit corridor where the Delaware RR and the Baltimore and Delaware Bay RR intersect near Clayton, reflecting the era's shift toward steam transport. These rails connected established settlements like Smyrna and Middletown to the fertile necks of land between the Sassafras River and Bohemia Creek. For historians, the map preserves the exact locations of many named wharves and landings, such as Cassidy Ldg. and Travis Wht., which have since evolved or disappeared.