1940 Map of Kitty Hawk

About this map

Wright Memorial Monument 151 stands as a prominent landmark on Killdevil Hill in this coastal landscape, surveyed just before the United States entered the second World War. The map captures the Outer Banks when settlements like Kitty Hawk and Colington were small, isolated communities defined by their proximity to the Currituck Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. The presence of several coast guard stations, including Paul Gamiels Hill C G 171 and C G 172, underscores the maritime safety and military monitoring essential to this stretch of the Carolina coast during the era. The intricate network of waterways like Jean Guite Creek and Collington Creek separates landforms such as Colington Island and Burnt Island, illustrating a terrain where travel was dictated by the tides and sounds.