1973 Map of Bee Ridge

About this map

The growing settlement of Fruitville and the established neighborhood of Bee Ridge anchor this coastal Florida landscape during a period of rapid suburban expansion. Photogrammetric updates from the mid-1980s highlight urban encroachment into formerly agricultural lands, marked by the sprawl of new residential streets like Calliandra Dr and Honore Avenue. The landscape retains traces of its older rural character, seen in the drainage of Philippi Creek and the southern Cow Pen Slough. Educational and civic life is centered at the McIntosh Student Center and Sarasota Sch, while local history is preserved at the Palms Memorial Park Gardens (Cemetery) and the County Cem. The corridor along the CSX rail line and the development of Lake Sarasota illustrate the transition from a citrus and ranching economy toward a modernized residential hub.