1960 Map of Bay Lake

About this map

The Withlacoochee State Forest dominates the western half of this Florida interior landscape, where the boundary between Sumter and Lake Counties cuts through a dense mosaic of wetlands and timberland. In the northeast, the small settlement of Bay Lake serves as a local anchor, centered around the Bay Lake Ch and the neighboring waters of Bay Lake and Mill Pond. The geography is defined by its drainage patterns, with the aptly named Bayroot Slough, Gator Hole, and the sprawling Devils Creek Swamp characterizing the low-lying terrain. Infrastructure is sparse and utilitarian, consisting of a network of forestry routes like North Grade Road and Center Grade Road, alongside a Jeep Trail. The Seaboard Air Line railroad provides the primary industrial artery, slicing diagonally through the eastern section of the forest and swamp.