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1931 Map of Smyrna

Name: 1931 Topographic Map of Smyrna
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1931
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1931

About this map

Smyrna and Middletown anchor this northern Delaware landscape as it appeared in the late 1920s, a region defined by the complex transition from agricultural uplands to the tidal marshes of the Delaware River. The map reveals a dense network of family-named intersections such as Thomas Cors, Fieldsboro, and Blackiston, indicating a long-established rural community structure. Transportation is dominated by the Pennsylvania Railroad and the prominent Dupont Highway, which cuts a straight path through the territory.

Waterborne commerce and local geography are evident through numerous landings along the Smyrna River and Appoquinimink Creek, including Blackbird Landing and Shorts Landing. The survey captures an era when rural infrastructure was highly localized, evidenced by the numerous district schools like Ebenezer Sch and Oak Hill Sch, alongside landmarks like Wiggins Mill and Forest Cem. The eastern edge highlights the vast Cedar Swamp and the intricate drainage of the Thoroughfare and Straight Ditch near Liston Pt.