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1955 Map of Laurel

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Laurel
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1957
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1957

About this map

Laurel serves as the focal point of this Sussex County landscape, where the Pennsylvania railroad corridor meets the winding waters of Broad Creek. The town’s industrial and social infrastructure is well-defined, including the Odd Fellows Cemetery, the Radio Sta (WSUX), and the Laurel Airport. To the east and west, the terrain is shaped by an extensive network of drainage ditches and mill ponds, such as Records Pond and Chipman Pond, which reflect the historic reliance on local waterways for both commerce and land management.

Rural life in the mid-1950s is anchored by small crossroads and parish churches like Old Christ Ch and St Pauls Ch. Settlements like Bethel and Bacons are connected by a web of light-duty roads and rail lines, including the Pennsylvania route heading south toward the state line. This map documents a transitional era in southern Delaware, where traditional agricultural patterns and waterway reliance remained central to the community's layout.