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1945 Map of Crystal Lake

Name: 1945 Topographic Map of Crystal Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1945
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1945

About this map

Crystal Lake and its surrounding sinkhole ponds define this landscape along the Washington Co Bay Co line at the end of the Second World War. The area is characterized by an extensive network of named water bodies, ranging from the large Blue Pond in the west to smaller, curiously named features like Rattlesnake Lake, Shirt Tail Lake, and Court Martial Lake. These isolated basins reflect the unique karst topography of the Florida Panhandle, where drainage is primarily subterranean rather than through defined river systems.

Transportation through the pine woods relies on the C C C Road and the Base Line, which provide access to scattered settlements like the small community at Crystal Lake. The map details a period when these interior wetlands were primarily used for timber or local recreation, with many lakes bearing family or descriptive names such as Tyson Lake, Merial Lake, and Fivemile Lake. Genealogists and local historians can use these specific designations to pin family holdings and community landmarks to the mid-century landscape.