1955 Map of Point Of Rocks

About this map

The Potomac River corridor serves as the primary artery for transportation and industry on this mid-century survey, where the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and the Baltimore and Ohio RR parallel the water's edge. At Point of Rocks, the landscape is defined by the narrowing gap between the river and the steep rise of Catoctin Mountain. This convergence created a strategic bottleneck for early Maryland infrastructure, visible here in the junction of rail lines and the presence of the Gaging Station and Catoctin Sta (Lander P O). Away from the river, the terrain transitions into agricultural upland dotted with small communities like Petersville, Jefferson, and Slabtown. Local history is preserved through the locations of rural congregations at St Marks Ch and Bethel Ch, alongside industrial remnants such as Bells Mill on Catoctin Creek.