1953 Map of Rising Sun

About this map

The Mason and Dixon Line serves as the focal point of this regional study, defining the boundary where Cecil County, Maryland, meets Chester and Lancaster Counties in Pennsylvania. The town of Rising Sun sits as a primary crossroads, where the Penn Central railroad corridor intersects with a network of rural routes connecting outlying hamlets. The landscape is dotted with centers of early community life, including West Nottingham, Harrisville, and Farmington, many of which grew around rural institutions like the New Bridge Ch and Union Ch. Significant watercourses such as Octoraro Creek and Principio Creek shaped the local economy, evidenced by sites like Lees Mill. This survey, updated with 1970s aerial revisions, captures the transition of the borderlands from a purely agricultural and milling district toward a more connected corridor featuring landmarks like the Oxford Airport and Speedway.