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1948 Map of Portsmouth

Name: 1948 Topographic Map of Portsmouth
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1976
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1976

About this map

The isolated village of Portsmouth sits at the northern tip of Portsmouth Island, serving as a critical navigation point near the Ocracoke Inlet during the mid-20th century. This coastal landscape is defined by the shifting sands of the Cape Lookout National Seashore and its neighbor across the water, the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. The map highlights the intricate maritime infrastructure required to traverse Pamlico Sound, including the Wallace Channel Light and various beacons marking hazards like Shell Castle and Vera Cruz Shoal.

A network of shallow-water features such as Sheep Island, Evergreen Island, and The Haulover illustrates the precarious nature of life on the Outer Banks. While a telephone line connects the settlements to the mainland, the reliance on a ferry and local landmarks like The High Hills underscores the community's maritime dependence. The boundary between Hyde and Carteret counties bisects the inlet, marking a political division in an otherwise fluid environment of swashes and shoals.