1956 Map of Card Sound

About this map

The northern tip of Key Largo and its surrounding archipelago appear here in a mid-century survey that documents the early footprint of modern development in the Upper Keys. While much of the landscape remains a complex web of mangrove shorelines and interior waters like Crocodile Lake, the emergence of the Ocean Reef Club and the settlement at Grayvik mark a transition toward the area's role as a recreational destination. The map details a sophisticated network of tropical keys including Palo Alto Key, Old Rhodes Key, and Angelfish Key, separated by narrow channels such as Broad Creek and Angelfish Creek. Navigation is a central theme of this coastal study, highlighting the Intracostal Waterway as it cuts through Card Sound and Little Card Sound, providing a vital transit corridor between the mainland and the outer reef.