Loading map...

1948 Map of Kempsville

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

USGS Topo · Published 1948

About this map

Kempsville and its surrounding crossroads serve as the focal point of this late-1940s survey of southeastern Virginia, showing a landscape defined by the transition from rural farms to expanding residential clusters. The Norfolk Southern railway and the Currituck Branch bisect the region, connecting named hubs like Glen Rock, Greenwich, and Euclid. The map documents a significant network of African American educational and religious life, including the Princess Anne Co Training Sch and the Union Kempsville Sch and Ch.

Water shapes the geography here, with the Eastern Branch Elizabeth River and Indian River carving through the terrain. The presence of the Norfolk County Reservoir and the Northland Pumping Sta highlights the infrastructure required for the growing Tidewater population. From the agricultural operations at Greenbrier Farms to the suburban layout of Broad Creek Village, the map preserves a specific moment of development before the mid-century building boom.