1954 Map of Fentress

About this map

The Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal serves as the dominant horizontal axis of this landscape, marking a vital segment of the Intracoastal Waterway where it meets the Great Bridge Lock. This mid-century survey reveals a transition from the agricultural roots of Fentress and Hickory Ground toward a modernized infrastructure, including the U S Naval Reservation (Fentress Landing Field) and early suburban expansion around Great Bridge. The drainage patterns of the Pocaty River and the vast Gum Swamp are clearly delineated against the grid of farm roads and small rural centers like Centerville. Local history is preserved through numerous neighborhood landmarks, from the Mount Pleasant Sch to the Pleasant Grove Cem and various community churches such as Zion Ch and the House of Prayer Ch.