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1938 Map of Dutch Gap

Name: 1938 Topographic Map of Dutch Gap
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1938
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1938

About this map

Richmond National Battlefield Park preserves a landscape heavily marked by military history, where visible breastworks and Battery 3 traces define the ridges overlooking the James River. The 1938 survey captures the intricate oxbows of the river, including Jones Neck and the significant navigation cut at Dutch Gap Canal, which isolates Hatcher Island. The interior is a mosaic of mid-century rural Virginia life, featuring numerous family-named landmarks and institutions like the Varina Agricultural High Sch and Curls Neck Plantation.

Transport and communication patterns are evident in the presence of the Axelson Radio Beam Station and the Richard E Byrd Landing Field, while the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad corridor tracks across the northern reaches. This era shows the convergence of colonial-era estates and modern infrastructure, with established spiritual centers such as Union Grove Chapel and Second Bethel Ch serving scattered communities like Varina Grove and Crewes Corner.