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1957 Map of Orrs Island

Name: 1957 Topographic Map of Orrs Island
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1959
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1959

About this map

The fingers of Harpswell Neck and Orrs Island reach into Casco Bay, defining a landscape where the sea is the primary connector. This mid-century survey documents the transition from a traditional maritime economy to a coastal community integrated with the mainland via State Route 123 and State Route 24. Settlements like Cundys Harbor and Harpswell Center are detailed alongside their institutional anchors, including the Queen of the Mission Chapel and the Harpswell Islands School.

A significant military presence is noted at the US Naval Air Station near Buttermilk Cove, contrasting with the more pastoral or village-centered areas like Pennellville and East Harpswell. The map tracks dozens of named points, ledges, and narrows, such as the Ewing Narrows and Wilson Ledges, which served as critical landmarks for local navigation before modern global positioning. This sheet is an essential resource for tracing the maritime heritage of Cumberland County and the intricate shoreline of the New Meadows River.