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1919 Map of Wadmelaw Island

Name: 1919 Topographic Map of Wadmelaw Island
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1919
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1919

About this map

Wadmelaw Island and the neighboring sea islands of Johns Island, Kiawah Island, and Seabrook Island define this coastal landscape at the end of the First World War. The area is characterized by a complex network of tidal waterways, including the Stono River and Bohicket Creek, which served as the primary arteries for local commerce and travel before modern bridge connections were fully established. The settlement at Rockville sits at the tip of Wadmelaw, while the interior of the islands is dotted with rural institutions like Brickhouse School and St Johns Church, reflecting a deeply rooted agricultural and fishing society.

Industrial activity appears at Yonges Island with the presence of the Crate Mill and the Seaboard Air Line railroad, which provided a critical link to mainland markets. The map also documents historical landmarks such as an Old Fort on Horse Island and several island schools like Bogle School and Sandhill School, offering valuable data for genealogists and researchers tracing the early twentieth-century development of the South Carolina Lowcountry.