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1894 Map of Mt. Vernon

Name: 1894 Topographic Map of Mt. Vernon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1909
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1909

About this map

Potomac River dominates this late-19th-century landscape, serving as a geographic anchor for the burgeoning capital region and the surrounding Virginia and Maryland countryside. The map traces the historical riverfront from the urban core of Washington down to the historic estate at Mt. Vernon. This era reveals a sophisticated network of early infrastructure, including critical crossings like the Chain Bridge and the Shepherd Ferry, alongside defensive installations such as Fort Washington and Fort Myer.

Away from the water, the terrain in Fairfax and Alexandria counties is defined by small settlements and early rail corridors like the Southern R. R. and the Va. Midland Div. Railroad. Key landmarks of local and national significance are clearly visible, from the Arlington National Cemetery to the village at Dranesville. The inclusion of the Maryland Virginia Boundary running through the river channel highlights the jurisdictional complexities of the tidewater region during this period of post-Civil War growth.