1955 Map of Alturas

About this map

Alturas and the surrounding citrus and phosphate lands of Polk County are defined by a vast network of water bodies and transportation lines in the mid-1950s. The Seaboard Air Line railroad cuts through the northern landscape, while an Old Railroad Grade further south indicates the shifting infrastructure of the region's earlier industrial era. Dominating the central area is the expansive Lake Buffum, bordered by the Lake Buffum Ch and a small Cem, serving as a focal point for the local community. The terrain is a mix of natural wetlands and human modification, evidenced by the Strip Mine in the southwest and the Drainage Canal feeding into Peace Creek in the northeast. From Surveyors Lake to Lake Henry, this survey illustrates a landscape deeply tied to its water table and its rail-connected economy.