1887 Map of Muskeget

About this map

Muskeget Id. and Tuckernuck Id. anchor this maritime survey of the western approaches to Nantucket. This chart documents the shifting shoals and isolated outposts of the sound during a period of critical coastal navigation. The presence of the Cross Rip Shoal Light Ship and multiple L.S.S. (Life-Saving Service) stations highlights the navigational hazards inherent in the Muskeget Channel and the surrounding Atlantic Ocean. Along the western edge of Nantucket Id., the map details the intricate waterways of Maddaket Harbor, including Further Cr. and Broad Cr., as well as the prominent landmarks of Smith Pt. and Great Neck. The transition from Marthas Vineyard across to the smaller landmasses like Skiffs Id. illustrates the fragile, sandy geography of the Massachusetts coast at the end of the nineteenth century.