1943 Map of Clearwater

About this map

Clearwater and its surrounding coastal communities are captured here in the midst of World War II, showing a landscape defined by citrus groves and emerging residential blocks before the post-war development boom. The mainland is anchored by the crossing of the Atlantic Coast Line and Seaboard Air Line railroads, which facilitated the region's agricultural economy. On the barrier islands, Clearwater Beach Island and Sand Key are connected to the city via the Clearwater Causeway, with early settlements like Belleair Beach and Indian Rocks Beach appearing as narrow ribbons of development along the Gulf. A significant indicator of the era is the Clearwater Airport (Abandoned) located near Lake Excelsior, while the presence of the Coast Guard Sta reflects the strategic coastal importance of the area during the early 1940s.