1956 Map of Fortescue

About this map

Fortescue sits at the edge of the Delaware Bay, serving as a focal point for this coastal Cumberland County landscape in the mid-1950s. The settlement is defined by its relationship to the water, bordered by Fortescue Creek and the sweeping Fortescue Beach. This survey captures a highly intricate marshland environment within the Downe Public Hunting and Fishing Grounds, where a dense network of tidal waterways like Oranoaken Creek, Straight Creek, and the The Three Mouths intersect. These wetlands are dotted with family-named or descriptive landmarks such as Wilmas Pond, McCormick Pond, and King Pond. Offshore, the map details the maritime hazards and navigational aids of the bay, including Cross Ledge and Joe Flogger Shoal, alongside the state boundary dividing New Jersey and Delaware waters.