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1901 Map of Hancock

Name: 1901 Topographic Map of Hancock
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1917
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1917

About this map

The Potomac River corridor serves as a busy industrial and transportation artery on this 1899 survey, where the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad parallel the water through the narrow gaps of the Appalachian ridges. This map captures the region's complex infrastructure, including the Parkhead Turnpike and the Western Maryland Railroad, which crisscross the valley near the strategic river crossing at Hancock. To the east, the preservation of colonial history is evident at Fort Frederick, standing near the natural basins of Big Pool and Little Pool.

Away from the river, the landscape transitions into a network of ridges and hollows defined by rural settlements and early industry. Local genealogists will find numerous family-named locations such as Yeakle Mill, Johnsons Mill, and Stohr Crossroads. The terrain is punctuated by significant landmarks like Lovers Leap and Devils Nose, while the southern reaches identify small communities like Berkeley Springs and Stotlers Crossroads along the winding course of Sleepy Creek.