1955 Map of Townsend

About this map

The southern tip of the Delmarva Peninsula is defined here by its strategic coastal position and maritime industry in the mid-1950s. The presence of the Cape Charles Air Force Base at the terminus of the peninsula highlights the Cold War-era military importance of this land overlooking the Chesapeake Bay. The map documents a rural landscape where agriculture meets the sea, evidenced by several wharves such as Arlington Wharf and Hunts Wharf, alongside numerous landings like Steelmans Landing and Walls Landing. Small settlements and local landmarks like Townsend, Cheapside, and Lower Northampton Ch are connected by the Pennsylvania railroad line, which includes the Latimer Siding. To the east, the complex salt marsh environment of Magothy Bay and Mockhorn Island reveals a landscape dominated by tidal channels and thorofares, including The Narrows and Stringers Ditch, vital for local navigation.