1949 Map of Urbanna

About this map

Urbanna serves as a central hub on the southern bank of the Rappahannock River during the late 1940s, characterized by its tidal creek frontage and maritime infrastructure. The map reveals a landscape defined by deep water access, where Urbanna Wharf and the Remlik Wharf along Lagrange Creek supported local commerce before the widespread modernization of regional transport. Across the river in Lancaster Co, small agrarian and fishing communities like Ottoman, Bertrand, and Mollusk are connected by narrow roads winding between the fingers of the Corrotoman River. The presence of numerous historical sites, such as the St Marys Chapel and the significant Corbin Hall estate, suggests a deep-rooted social fabric tied to the waterfront. This survey, based on aerial photography from the mid-1940s, captures the peninsula’s reliance on its complex network of "prongs" and creeks, including Ewells Prong and Robinson Creek.