1942 Map of Ewell

About this map

Smith Island serves as the focal point of this 1942 survey, depicting a complex network of marshes, guts, and tidal channels in the Chesapeake Bay. The isolated communities of Ewell, Rhodes Point, and Tylerton are shown in their wartime configuration, connected primarily by water routes such as the Big Thorofare and The Canal. The state line between Maryland and Virginia bisects the marshlands, illustrating the unique jurisdictional boundaries that cross these wetlands. Navigation is guided by the Smith Island Light near Goose Harbor Cove, while numerous family and local landmarks like Hog Neck, Amen Corner, and Peachorchard Point reveal a landscape deeply shaped by generational habitation. This map provides a detailed view of the precarious geography of the lower Eastern Shore, from the northern Chaisey Point down to Long Tump and the shifting sands of Shanks Island.