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1917 Map of Mathews

Name: 1917 Topographic Map of Mathews
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1930
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1930

About this map

Mobjack Bay and the complex tidal estuaries of the Middle Peninsula define this 1916 coastal survey. The landscape is characterized by a maritime economy reliant on the water, evidenced by the numerous landing points such as Roanes Wharf, Williams Wharf, and Callis Wharf that dot the shorelines of the North River and East River. This era shows the region before modern bridge infrastructure dominated, where the steamboat route remained a vital link for the scattered communities of Mathews and Gloucester County.

Historic fortifications and rural institutions are prominent, including the Fort Nonsense (Ruins) and the Old Fort near Milford Haven. Local life centered around country crossroads and parish houses like Trinity Church and Salem Church, alongside a network of small schoolhouses such as Battery School and Flatiron School. The southern reaches transition into the sprawling Guinea Marshes, leading toward the lighthouse point at New Point Comfort.