1958 Map of Daytona Beach

About this map

The Saint Johns River corridor anchors this late-1950s landscape, serving as a primary artery between the inland lake systems and the Atlantic coast. From the northern reach at St Augustine down to the growing corridor around Daytona Beach, the map captures the region's balance between riverside settlements like Palatka and the undeveloped wetlands of Big Fish Tail Swamp and Twelve Mile Swamp. To the west, the massive Ocala National Forest contrasts with the network of rail-dependent towns such as De Land and Crescent City, which grew around the Florida East Coast RR and Atlantic Coast Line RR. The coastal barrier islands, including Anastasia Island, show the early footprints of tourism at Marineland and the natural break at Ponce de Leon Inlet, reflecting Florida’s mid-century transition from a river-and-rail economy toward coastal development.