Loading map...

1956 Map of Fortescue

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Fortescue
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1972
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1972

About this map

The coastal village of Fortescue serves as the primary outpost on this 1956 map of the Cumberland County shoreline. Located along the edge of Delaware Bay, the settlement is surrounded by the expansive wetlands of the Downe Public Hunting and Fishing Grounds. The landscape is a complex network of tidal waterways, including Fortescue Creek, Oranoaken Creek, and the intricate channels of The Three Mouths. These marshes, protected behind Fortescue Beach and Raybins Beach, suggest a long-standing reliance on the bay's natural resources for fishing and recreation.

Further south, the map delineates a remote environment terminating at Egg Island Point and False Egg Island Point. Hydrographic data reveals the shifting shoals of the bay, marking hazards such as Joe Flogger Shoal and the Elbow of Cross Ledge. These features, alongside named ponds like King Pond and Widgeon Ponds, offer a detailed look at the New Jersey coast before significant modern development altered the drainage of Fortescue Neck.