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1902 Map of Wicomico

Name: 1902 Topographic Map of Wicomico
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1909
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1909

About this map

The Wicomico River and its convoluted shoreline dominate this early twentieth-century survey, revealing a landscape defined by tidewater commerce and sprawling wetlands. The Philadelphia Wilmington and Baltimore R. R. and the Southern Maryland R. R. provide critical inland connections, but the life of the region clearly centers on the water. A network of maritime infrastructure including Plowdens Wharf, Lancaster Wharf, and Wilkerson Wharf illustrates the reliance on river transport for agricultural goods.

Away from the riverbanks, the vast Zekiah Swamp and Gilbert Swamp slice through the interior, influencing the placement of settlements like Charlotte Hall and Newport. The map identifies established local districts such as Mechanicsville No. 5 and Chaptico No. 4, providing a clear view of the social and political geography of St. Mary's and Charles Counties before modern bridge infrastructure replaced the Ludlow Ferry.