1981 Map of Laurel

About this map

The Patuxent River corridor and its surrounding developing landscapes define this 1981 orthophotoquad. This aerial-derived perspective highlights the suburban growth of Laurel and Maryland City along the critical transport axis of the Baltimore Washington Parkway. The imagery captures the transition of the Maryland countryside into a more densely populated suburban hub, while preserving large swaths of forested terrain and water features like the Rocky Gorge Reservoir to the northwest. To the south, the map reaches toward Greenbelt and Bowie, showing the extent of land clearing and residential patterning typical of the early 1980s. Natural hydrological features such as the Little Patuxent River, Cash Lake, and Redington Lake provide a stark contrast to the expanding infrastructure and housing developments that were rapidly reshaping the Prince George's County landscape during this era.