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1901 Map of Hancock

Name: 1901 Topographic Map of Hancock
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1940
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1940

About this map

The Potomac River carves a dramatic winding path through the heart of this region, serving as both a natural boundary and a vital corridor for nineteenth-century commerce. The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal parallels the river's northern bank, passing the strategic colonial-era Fort Frederick and the town of Hancock. This landscape is defined by the sharp verticality of Sleepy Creek Mountain and Short Mountain, which separate the agricultural valleys from the rail-oriented settlements along the water.

Industrial and transportation networks are dense here, with the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and the Western Maryland Railroad hugging the river bends. Away from the main lines, the interior reveals a network of rural life centered on crossroads and water power, such as Stotlers Crossroads, Yeakle Mill, and Highland Church. The map clearly delineates the tri-state intersections of Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania, illustrating how the terrain dictated the placement of the Baltimore and Cumberland Turnpike.