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1906 Map of Williamsburg

Name: 1906 Topographic Map of Williamsburg
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1940
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1940

About this map

The York River dominates this landscape, serving as a critical transportation corridor marked by a primary Steamboat Route and numerous landings such as Miller Ldg and Tanyard Ldg. Surveyed in 1904, the topography reveals a region deeply anchored in its colonial and early American past, evidenced by several significant ruins. Researchers can identify Church Hill Petsworth Church (Ruins) and the site of Powhatans House (Ruins) near the riverbanks, alongside the remains of Fort Magruder (Ruins) further inland.

Local settlements like Woods Crossroads, Ordinary, and Adner are connected by a network of roads that wind through the timbered necks and swamps of Gloucester and James City counties. The presence of the Chesapeake and Ohio RR near the southwestern corner and active navigational aids like Bells Rock LH reflect an era where rail and water travel were the primary modes of commerce. Large estates and landmarks such as Rosewell and the Abingdon Church anchor the social geography of the Tidewater area at this moment in history.