Nathaniel Holland Coastal Map, 1794

Nathaniel Holland Coastal Map, 1794

This map, created in 1794, depicts the East Coast from the Currituck Inlet -- located along the border of present-day Virginia and North Carolina -- to the Savannah River -- located along the border of present-day South Carolina and Georgia. This map details the multiplicity of islands and shoals along the Outer Banks that made the North Carolina's coastal waters especially treacherous to early explorers and sailors. Although the shoals are marked on the map, the shoals' locations are not static -- they are constantly shifting. The geography of the coastline along with the meeting of multiple currents and frequent storms all helped earn the nickname "The Graveyard of the Atlantic." 

For a larger version of the map click here.

Public Domain

Holland, Nathaniel. A new shart of the coast of North America from Currituck Inlet to Savannah River: comprehending the coasts of North and South Carolina. 1794. Map. 70 x 103 cm. North Carolina Collection, UNC Chapel Hill Libraries, https://dc.lib.unc.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/ncmaps/id/494/rec/13.