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1978 Map of Bartow

Name: 1978 Topographic Map of Bartow
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1980
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1980

About this map

Peace River and the Seaboard Coast Line define the corridor of development in central Florida during the late 1970s. The landscape is a study in industrial transformation, dominated by extensive strip mining operations near Mulberry and Kingsford, where the earth has been reshaped for phosphate extraction. This intensive land use contrasts sharply with the vast natural wetlands and water bodies to the east, including the massive Lake Weohyakapka and the serpentine Kissimmee River.

Settlement patterns follow the rail lines and major roads, connecting the county seat of Bartow with agricultural and industrial towns like Fort Meade, Wauchula, and Zolfo Springs. To the southeast, the expansive Avon Park Bombing Range occupies a significant portion of the interior, preserved as a military training installation amidst the region's lakes and citrus groves. Cultural sites like Oak Hill Cemetery and the Bartow Municipal Airport provide specific points of interest for genealogical and local history research.