1953 Map of Norfolk

About this map

The Dismal Swamp dominates the central landscape of this mid-century survey, its expansive wetlands anchored by Lake Drummond and stretching across the border between Virginia and North Carolina. The coastal region is heavily defined by its massive military footprint, including the Norfolk Naval Base, Fort Story Military Reservation, and the Oceana Naval Air Station. These installations sit alongside established seaside locales like Virginia Beach and Seashore State Park. Further inland, the map captures the transition from tidal waters to the river-fed plains of the Chowan River and Roanoke River. The era's transportation network is prominently displayed, showing the complex intersection of the Norfolk Southern RR and Seaboard Coast Line RR which connected trade hubs like Suffolk and Elizabeth City to the bustling deep-water ports of Norfolk and Portsmouth.