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1943 Map of Great Fox Island

Name: 1943 Topographic Map of Great Fox Island
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1943
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1943

About this map

Tangier Sound and the intricate tidal wetlands of the Chesapeake Bay define this mid-century maritime landscape. The border between Maryland and Virginia bisects the open waters and marshy outcroppings, marking the territorial division through the Fox Islands and near Horse Hammock. This 1942 field study, published by the War Department, highlights the critical navigation aids of the era, including the James Island Lt and Somers Cove Lt, which guided watercraft through the Cedar Straits and the mouth of the Little Annemessex River.

The map reveals a complex system of hydraulic engineering and natural erosion, documented through features like the Upper Horse Hammock Ditch and the shifting shoreline of Smith Island. From the deep waters of Twitch Cove to the narrow reaches of Muddy Creek, the topography emphasizes the precarious balance of life on these low-lying landforms, where the maximum ground elevation is recorded at only two feet.