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1944 Map of Urbana

Name: 1944 Topographic Map of Urbana
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1944
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1944

About this map

The Baltimore and Ohio railroad corridor anchors the northern reach of this landscape, passing through the established community of Monrovia and the village of Ijamsville. Moving south, the terrain transitions into a patchwork of rural crossroads and stream-side settlements defined by the Frederick and Montgomery county line. The presence of a Grist Mill near Hyattstown and several named localities like Fountain Mills and Reels Mill points to an economy historically tied to the water power of Bush Creek and Bennett Creek.

Mid-century Maryland life is evident in the network of secondary roads connecting Urbana to outliers like Centerville and Green Valley. For genealogists and local historians, the map's precise placement of numerous small cemeteries and outlying hamlets such as Lewisdale, Kingsley, and Thurston provides a clear view of the social geography before the significant expansion of the Washington-Baltimore suburbs. The intricate drainage patterns of Fahrney Branch and Little Bennett Creek reveal the agricultural character of the Piedmont during the war years.