1952 Map of Sterling

About this map

The Potomac River corridor at the Virginia and Maryland border defines this mid-century landscape, anchored by the river's significant islands including Selden Island and Van Deventer Island. On the Maryland shore, the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal follows the riverbank, while the Virginia side shows a rural landscape transitioning toward suburbanization. The Washington and Old Dominion railroad cuts across the southern portion of the sheet, connecting small communities like Ashburn, Ryan, and Sterling. Local social centers such as St Pauls Ch in Sugarland, the Izaak Walton Club, and the Nokes Sch provide clear points of reference for genealogists tracking family movements in Loudoun County before the heavy development of the late 20th century. Numerous watercourses like Broad Run and Goose Creek feed into the Potomac, shaping the placement of early roads like the Leesburg Turnpike.