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1949 Map of Gorman

Name: 1949 Topographic Map of Gorman
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1965
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1965

About this map

The North Branch Potomac River serves as a winding political and geographic boundary in this 1940s survey, separating Maryland and West Virginia. Along its banks, the twin settlements of Gorman and Gormania represent a classic river-and-rail economy, anchored by the Western Maryland railroad that follows the valley floor. The landscape is dominated by the steep rises of The Backbone Mountain and Difficult Hill, where small farming communities and family homesteads are marked by a high density of rural burial grounds like the Harvey-Wilson Cem and Chisholm-Nydegger Cemetery.

Evidence of local history and military heritage is visible at Fort Pendleton, situated near the George Washington Highway. The map captures a moment of transition where traditional land use, including small schools like Bethlehem Sch and churches such as White Ch, exists alongside early industrial footprints like the Strip Mine near the northern border and a regional Pipe Line cutting through Union.