1946 Map of Petersburg

About this map

The Appomattox River anchors this 1946 study of the region, where the urban center of Petersburg meets a landscape still deeply defined by its military history and swampy terrain. Significant acreage is dedicated to the Petersburg National Military Park and Camp Lee Military Reservation, reflecting the area's strategic importance during the Civil War and the mid-century mobilization. To the south and west, the map details a rural network of small communities and crossroads like Reams and Rowanta, many centered around local schools such as the Rives School or historic meeting places like Providence Church. The rail infrastructure is particularly prominent, showing the convergence of the Norfolk and Western, Atlantic Coast Line, and Seaboard Air Line railroads. These lines parallel the primary transit routes of the era, including U.S. Hy. No. 1 and U.S. Hy. No. 301, which connect the industrializing city to the agrarian hinterlands of Dinwiddie and Prince George counties.