1953 Map of Girdletree

About this map

Girdletree and Stockton anchor this survey of the lower Delmarva Peninsula, where the landscape is defined by the Pennsylvania Railroad and a network of intricate waterways. The map documents the rural settlement patterns along the Maryland and Virginia border, featuring many family and community landmarks such as Klej Grange and Welbourne. Local genealogy and social history are well-represented through numerous community hubs like St Pauls School, Shiloh Church, and the Betheden Cem. The terrain transitions from the marshy reaches of Holly Swamp and Swanscut Creek to the coastal ports of Greenbackville and Franklin City on the Chincoteague Bay. This survey captures the region before extensive modern development, preserving the locations of numerous ditches and branches like Rayfield Ditch and Little Mill Run that once drove the local drainage and milling economy.