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1953 Map of Popes Creek

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Popes Creek
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1978
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1978

About this map

The Wicomico River and Zekiah Swamp Run dominate this coastal landscape in southern Maryland, where agricultural fields and dense woodlands meet tidal marshes. The Penn Central railroad cuts a north-south line through the territory, serving local centers such as Bel Alton (Cox Sta) and Faulkner. Further south, the line terminates near the Potomac River at the landing at Popes Creek, a historically significant transshipment point for tobacco and regional commerce.

Land use patterns are defined by the many tidal guts and runs, including Allens Fresh Run and Cooksey Run, which weave between family-named points like Cooksey Pt and McReynolds Pt. The survey captures the social fabric of the mid-20th century through landmarks such as St Marys Ch and the Fairgrounds, along with established settlements at Newburg, Newport, and Dentsville. This document serves as a detailed record of the peninsula's topography before more modern development reached the banks of the Wicomico.