1951 Map of Middletown

About this map

Mattamuskeet Lake and the coastal lowlands of Hyde County define this landscape, where the southern boundary of the Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge meets a network of drainage canals and levees. The early 1950s survey captures a rural environment deeply tied to the water, with several small settlements clustered along the edges of Wysocking Bay and the northern reaches of Pamlico Sound. A string of post offices and small communities, including Lake Landing, Middletown, and the uniquely named Last Chance, are connected by unimproved roads and canals such as the Rose Canal. Local landmarks like Amity Ch and Pleasant Grove Ch suggest established family centers near the shore, while labels for Ruins and scattered lights along the sound hint at the navigation and settlement patterns of this low-lying coastal prairie.