1950 Map of Howard Reef

About this map

Ocracoke Island is depicted here as a narrow, windswept thread of land separating the Atlantic Ocean from the expansive Pamlico Sound. This 1940s-era topography, updated with photorevisions in 1970, captures the shifting sands of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore before more modern development altered the shoreline profile. The map reveals a remote landscape dotted with small outposts and maritime landmarks like Cass Williams Camp and Dicks Camp, which hint at the traditional hunting and fishing culture of the Outer Banks.