1979 Map of Sapelo Sound

About this map

Blackbeard Island National Wildlife Refuge and the Blackbeard Island Wilderness dominate the southern portion of this coastal Georgia orthophotomat. The landscape is a complex network of marshlands and winding tidal arteries, where the South Newport River meets Sapelo Sound. Small settlements like Johnson, Newport, and Oldnor sit along the high ground and riverbanks, reflecting the quiet coastal life of the late 1970s. The map illustrates the shifting nature of the barrier islands, with Dog Hammock Spit and South Beach on St Catherine Island exposed to the Atlantic Ocean. Of particular interest to maritime historians is the path of the Intracoastal Waterway as it navigates through Johnson Creek and around Oldnor Island, marked by several navigational Lights to guide vessels through the treacherous Tide Rips and shoals.