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1943 Map of Sharps Island

Name: 1943 Topographic Map of Sharps Island
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1943
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1943

About this map

James Island and the surrounding neck lands of the Chesapeake Bay shoreline dominate this 1942 field study. The geography of the Eastern Shore is intricately detailed, showing the low-lying estuaries and points that define the Dorchester County coast during the early war years. Small agricultural and fishing settlements like Hudson and Thomas are central to the landscape, supported by local institutions such as Hubbards Church and the Hudson School.

The map captures a specific maritime environment where land and water meet along Trippe Bay and the Little Choptank River. Coastal navigation is marked by the Slaughter Creek Outer Light and Ragged Point Light, indicating the importance of these waterways for local commerce and transit. From the northern reach of Sharps Island down to Taylors Island No 4, the map documents a network of rural roads, including Ragged Point Rd, and numerous named points and coves that have long shaped the identity of this tidewater region.