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1942 Map of Nauset

Name: 1942 Topographic Map of Nauset
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1943
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1943

About this map

Nauset Beach Light stands as a primary navigational beacon on this 1942 Army Map Service survey, which details the outer coastline of Cape Cod during the early years of World War II. The map emphasizes the maritime and coastal defense infrastructure of the era, marking multiple Life Saving Stations such as Cahoon Hollow L S S, Nauset Beach L S S, and Orleans Beach L S S. These locations, alongside the Chatham Air Port, reflect the strategic importance of the peninsula's eastern edge.

Residential and commercial life centers on established villages like Orleans, Chatham, and South Wellfleet. The complex shoreline of Town Cove, Pleasant Bay, and Stage Harbor is meticulously rendered, showing the intricate network of inlets and necks including Pochet Neck and Nickersons Neck. South of the main settlements, the narrow ribbon of Monomoy Island extends into the Atlantic, illustrating the fragile, shifting nature of the Cape's southern reach.