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1944 Map of Bird Keys

Name: 1944 Topographic Map of Bird Keys
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1944
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1944

About this map

Little Sarasota Bay serves as the central focal point for this coastal Florida landscape during the mid-1940s, separating the mainland from the barrier islands of Sarasota Key and Casey Key. The map documents a critical period of early development, featuring several specifically labeled use areas such as Ashby Use, Lisp Use, and Teer Use along the shoreline, which likely denote property ownership or specific military-era land designations by the War Department.

Coastal navigation and terrain are captured through features like Midnight Pass and the distinctive Point O' Rocks. On the mainland, Vamo and White Beach represent the nascent communities tied to the corridor of Highway 41. This survey provides a primary record of the inlets and small island chains, including the namesake Bird Keys, before decades of dredging and modern development altered the hydrography of the Sarasota coastline.