1917 Map of Ewell

About this map

Smith Island and its surrounding archipelagos define this maritime landscape at the intersection of the Chesapeake Bay and Tangier Sound. During this era, the isolated communities of Ewell, Rhodes Point, and Tylerton were connected to the mainland primarily by water, with a prominent Steamboat Route shown weaving between the Maryland and Virginia line. The intricate network of tidal guts and man-made passages like Indian Ditch and Tyler Ditch highlight a culture shaped by navigation and the harvesting of the bay.