1951 Map of Cape Canaveral

About this map

Cape Canaveral stands as a distinct coastal landmark on this 1951 survey, documented just before the era of space exploration transformed the Florida shoreline. The landscape is dominated by the U S Coast Guard Reservation and the De Soto Beach State Game Refuge, which protected large swaths of the Canaveral Peninsula. Small settlements like Canaveral, Artesia, and Holmes appear alongside the Artesia P O, showing a local community tied to the sea and the Banana River. Navigational landmarks are prominent, including the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse, a Lookout Tower, and various pilings along the coast. The map captures the natural complexity of the bight and the Lighthouse Ponds before massive infrastructure projects altered the topography of the barrier island.