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1953 Map of Fairfield NE

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Fairfield NE
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1977
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1977

About this map

The Alligator River serves as the dominant geographic spine of this coastal landscape, where the borders of Tyrrell, Dare, and Hyde counties converge amidst an intricate network of marshes and bays. The map reveals the low-lying terrain of Gum Neck and Buck Island, punctuated by small maritime outposts like Gum Neck Landing and Grapevine Landing. These points of access were critical for the local economy and movement before modern infrastructure fully penetrated the wetlands.

Waterborne transit is central to the area's identity, evidenced by the Intracoastal Waterway and the Pungo River Alligator River Canal. The coastline is heavily indented with named features like Grapevine Bay, Rattlesnake Bay, and Stumpy Creek Bay, illustrating a landscape defined by its relation to the water. In the southeast, Swan Creek Lake and Swan Creek highlight the interior drainage patterns near the Lake Landing and Fairfield districts.