1956 Map of Hughesville

About this map

Cedarville State Forest dominates the northern landscape of this Southern Maryland region, its wooded expanse broken by the wetlands of Zekiah Swamp and Jordan Swamp. The mid-1950s settlement pattern reflects a deeply rooted community structure centered around crossroads and institutions. Education and faith are central to the geography here, with St Peters Ch and St Peters Sch in the north and the cluster of St Marys Sch and Notre Dame High Sch near Bryantown. The transit of the U S Government RR cuts a straight line through the forest, serving military interests of the era, while local commerce is marked by traditional names like Burnt Store and Grosstown. The southern portion transitions into the drainage basins of Swanson Creek and Gilbert Creek, showing a rural environment just before modern suburban expansion began to reach this part of Charles County.