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1949 Map of Machias Bay

Name: 1949 Topographic Map of Machias Bay
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1974
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1974

About this map

Holmes Bay and its intricate network of coves and islands define this Washington County coast, where the land and sea meet in a complex of mud flats and rocky points. Inland, small rural settlements like Lowell and Ackley are scattered among prominent elevations such as Enoch Hill and Woodruff Mtn. The social fabric of the era is anchored by local landmarks like the Holmes Bay Ch and Holmes Bay Sch, which served as central nodes for the surrounding community.

Coastal navigation and maritime life are evident through numerous named features including Bucks Harbor, Sprague Neck, and Avery Rock. The mapping reveals a landscape transitioning from the freshwater of Gardner Lake in the north down through Holmes Stream into the tidal marshes of Little Machias Bay. This 1949 survey provides a precise record of the shoreline before modern development, capturing everything from the Sprague Neck Bar to the isolated structures at Harmon Spruce.