1950 Map of Great Wass Island

About this map

Great Wass Island and its surrounding archipelago dominate this mid-century hydrographic and topographic study of the Washington County coastline. The landscape is defined by a intricate network of tidal coves and heaths, with a solitary telephone line providing the primary overland connection through the island's interior toward Three Falls Harbor. Evidence of coastal life and maritime safety is visible at Mannings Farm on the southern reaches and the Moose Peak L H U S Coast Guard Sta situated on Mistake Island. These surveys, compiled from aerial photography and older hydrographic data, capture a moment when traditional maritime navigation relied on prominent coastal landmarks like Red Head and the dangerous Black Ledges in the Mud Hole Channel. Smaller landmasses such as Steele Harbor Island and Head Harbor Island frame the deep-water passages of the Main Channel Way, illustrating the complex navigation required within Western Bay.