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1954 Map of Lake Drummond NW

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of Lake Drummond NW
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1956
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1956

About this map

Dismal Swamp dominates this 1950s landscape, providing a specialized look at the engineered drainage systems and transit corridors crossing the wetlands on the border of Nansemond Co and Norfolk Co. The map reveals a network of man-made waterways essential to the region's historical timber and transport economy, including the Washington Ditch, Big Entry Ditch, and Fivemile Ditch. These straight-line cuts contrast with the natural density of the swamp, illustrating early efforts to manage this environment.

Transportation infrastructure defines the northern and eastern fringes of the quadrangle. The Norfolk and Western railroad skirts the northern boundary, while the Intracoastal Waterway runs along the eastern edge, showing the critical logistics routes linking the interior swamp to the coastal trade. Local roads such as Jericho and Portsmouth provide the only terrestrial access into this watery wilderness during the mid-twentieth century.