1973 Map of Poquoson West

About this map

The tidal landscape of the Virginia Peninsula appears in stark detail through this 1973 orthophotoquad, which uses rectified aerial imagery to document the interface between land and water. The York River dominates the northern edge of the sheet, providing a backdrop for the residential and industrial development taking hold along the jagged shoreline. In the southeast, the settlement of Poquoson is visible as a developing network of streets and neighborhoods carved out of the marshes and wooded inlets. Unlike a traditional line-drawn map, this photographic survey reveals the physical footprint of industry near the coast, including large storage tanks and cleared sites, while capturing the dense residential patterns emerging as the area transitioned from its maritime and agricultural roots into a modern suburban community.