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1956 Map of Frederica

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Frederica
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1971
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1971

About this map

The St Jones River and Murderkill River wind through the marshy lowlands of Kent County, defining the landscape of St Jones Neck and Milford Neck along the Delaware Bay. This 1956 revision documents the coastal area south of Dover, where the expanded footprint of Dover Air Force Base stands in contrast to the surrounding agricultural districts and ancient landing sites. The town of Frederica is situated at the confluence of Murderkill River and Spring Creek, serving as a focal point for the surrounding rural territory.

Local history is preserved in the location of the Dickinson Mansion near the bay and the historic Barratts Chapel along the Dupont Highway. Coastal settlements like Bowers and South Bowers sit at the mouth of the Murderkill, while inland hamlets like Magnolia and Little Heaven mark the transition toward the interior. The presence of numerous drainage features, such as Cypress Pond and Beaver Gut, underscores the century-long effort to manage the tidal wetlands for both military and agricultural use.