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1958 Map of Belle Meade

Name: 1958 Topographic Map of Belle Meade
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1991
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1991

About this map

Henderson Creek flows through a landscape of mangroves and coastal wetlands toward Rookery Bay and Hall Bay, defining the transition from inland hammock land to the Gulf's edge. The 1958 topography, later updated with bathymetric data, reveals the early infrastructure of East Naples and the localized development at Belle Meade and Rattlesnake Hammock. These small inland nodes were linked by State Roads 41 and 951, which cut through the low-lying terrain to connect the growing Collier County coast.

Historical shoreline details are preserved along Johnson Bay, where Halloway Island and Umbrella Island provide natural buffers. Inland, the map documents cultural landmarks of the mid-20th century, including Old Marco Junction and the Marco Island Airport, alongside the isolated Shell Island Cem. The inclusion of bathymetric contours offers a rare look at the underwater topography of the shallow bays during this era of rapid South Florida expansion.