1981 Map of Jesup

About this map

The Altamaha River defines the southern reach of this coastal Georgia landscape, winding toward the Atlantic through a network of sounds and barrier islands. In the early 1980s, the region was characterized by the massive footprint of the Fort Stewart Military Reservation, which dominates the interior geography north of Hinesville. The map captures the complex transition from the inland pine forests and agricultural settlements like Ludowici and Jesup to the tidal marshes of the Medway River and North Newport River. Protected coastal lands are prominent, including the Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge and Blackbeard Island National Wildlife Refuge. The transportation network relies on the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad and Southern Railway, which historically fueled the timber and naval stores industries of the coastal plain. Coastal communities like Shellman Bluff and Sunbury sit along the intricate estuaries and sounds, including Ossabaw Sound and St Catherines Sound.