1953 Map of North Bay

About this map

The coastal marshes and barrier islands of Virginia's Atlantic shore are captured here as they appeared in the early 1950s. The landscape is dominated by the sprawling Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge, a labyrinth of coves and islands including Long Island and Ragged Island. The thin, sandy ribbon of Sand Ridge separates the open Atlantic Ocean from the sheltered waters of North Bay and Ships Bay. Along this exposed coast, the Little Island Coast Guard Station stands as a lonely outpost of maritime safety.