1894 Map of Arredondo

About this map

Gainesville serves as the central hub of this north-central Florida landscape, where a sophisticated network of late-nineteenth-century rail lines converges. The Florida Central and Peninsula Rail Road and the Florida Southern Rail Road cut across the terrain, linking established settlements like Arredondo and Micanopy. The map documents a unique hydrological state, labeling the vast central basin as Payne Prairie or Alachua Lake, reflecting a period when this area fluctuated between a wet prairie and a navigable body of water. Beyond the towns, the topography is marked by distinctive sinkhole features such as Devils Mill Hopper and Warren Cave, while the southern reaches are dominated by large water bodies including Levy Lake and Wauberg Lake. This survey provides a precise record of Alachua County's early transportation corridors and natural landmarks before modern drainage and development altered the character of its prairies.