1899 Map of Patuxent

About this map

The Patuxent River corridor serves as the central artery for this late 19th-century landscape, illustrating a transition from river-based commerce to a rail-centered economy. Established river landings like Milltown Landing and Leitch Wharf along the lower Patuxent stand in contrast to the emerging rail hubs of Hyattsville and College Park in the northwest. The presence of the Maryland Agricl. College and the Piscataway Reform School highlights the early institutional development of Prince George's County. Settlement patterns follow the Baltimore & Potomac R.R. and the Pope Creek Branch, while older overland routes like the Marlboro Turnpike connect established towns such as Upper Marlboro. The topography reveals the intricate drainage basins of Zekiah Swamp and Mataponi Creek, reaching eastward to the shores of the Chesapeake Bay and Herring Bay.