2012 Map of Deep Lake SW

About this map

Twelvemile Prairie and West Prairie define this portion of the Florida Everglades, where a vast network of numbered avenues and boulevards push east into the wetlands of Collier County. The map captures an era of grid-based expansion meeting the ancient, slow-drained terrain of Royal Palm Hammock and Doe Prairie. While the western half is dominated by the geometric layout of Merritt Blvd and dozens of residential-scale avenues, the eastern expanse remains largely open. This intersection of human planning and natural hydrology is evident in the placement of roads terminating abruptly at the edge of Buck Prairie and Turkey Prairie. Local history is preserved in the evocative names of these prairies, including Starvation Prairie and Burnt Flat Prairie, suggesting the early challenges of navigating and settling this seasonally saturated landscape near Slate Prairie.