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1948 Map of James Island

Name: 1948 Topographic Map of James Island
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1948
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1948

About this map

Charleston and its surrounding coastal islands are depicted here just after the war, showing the strategic maritime landscape of the South Carolina coast. The confluence of the Cooper River, Wando River, and Ashley River anchors the peninsula, with the Naval Reservation and significant defense sites like Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie marking the harbor entrance. This 1948 compilation integrates data from wartime surveys and aerial photography, capturing the layout of coastal settlements before the era of intensive beachfront development.

The shoreline stretches from Kiawah Island past the harbor to the southern reaches of the Francis Marion National Forest. Extensive marshlands and waterways, including Hamlin Sound and Gray Bay, separate the mainland from barrier islands like Dewees Island and Capers Island. The map provides a clear view of the road networks connecting Mt Pleasant, North Charleston, and James Island to the commercial center of the Lowcountry.