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1901 Map of Hancock

Name: 1901 Topographic Map of Hancock
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1945
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1945

About this map

The Potomac River serves as the primary artery for transport and boundary-marking in this 1899 survey, where the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal parallels the river's northern bank. This industrial corridor is further crowded by the competing tracks of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and the Western Maryland Railroad, illustrating the intense logistical competition of the era. The terrain is dominated by prominent parallel ridges including Sleepy Creek Mountain and Third Hill Mountain, which channeled early settlement into the narrow valleys.

Local life at the turn of the century is marked by numerous family-named crossroads and small agricultural hubs like Stotlers Crossroads and Brosius. To the east, the presence of Fort Frederick provides a historical anchor near Big Pool, while scattered grist mills such as Yeakle Mill and Johnsons Mill indicate a localized rural economy. Communities like Hedgesville and Berkeley Springs are already established, connected by early roads such as the Turnpike.