1994 Map of Billys Island

About this map

Billys Island stands as a massive upland sanctuary within the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and Wilderness, showing the complex landscape of the Georgia swamp in the early 1990s. The geography is defined by a network of islands and prairies, including Chase Prairie and Jackson Bay, which rise above the surrounding wetlands. This 1994 map provides a critical look at the remnants of former industrial activity, specifically the extensive network of the Old Railroad Grade that once hauled timber through the interior. These corridors contrast with the managed recreation found at Stephen Foster State Park and the Boat Ramp on Billys Lake. Near the center of the island, the Lee Cem offers a genealogical link to the families who lived and worked in this remote terrain before it was protected federal land. The western boundary is marked by the winding path of the Suwannee River, while the Suwannee Canal cuts through the eastern marshlands.