1895 Map of Citra

About this map

French Phosphate Mines and the Baker Mine anchor the southern landscape of this 1893 survey, marking a period of intense industrial activity in northern Marion County. The region's unique geography is defined by expansive wetland prairies such as Black Sink Prairie and Goosky Prairie, which sit alongside major water bodies like Orange Lake and Lochloosa Lake. These lakes are connected by the iconic Cross Creek, a narrow waterway that served as a vital local corridor. Settlement patterns follow the tracks of the Florida Southern R. R. and the Florida Central and Peninsular R. R., which facilitated the movement of both phosphate and citrus from towns like Citra, McIntosh, and Island Grove. The detailed contour lines reveal the subtle elevations and depressions characteristic of Florida's karst topography, where small unnamed mines dot the terrain around Anthony.