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1959 Map of Deep Lake SW

Name: 1959 Topographic Map of Deep Lake SW
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1968
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1968

About this map

The Fakahatchee Strand and Picayune Strand dominate this 1959 topographic survey of southern Florida, revealing a landscape defined by expansive wetlands and seasonal prairies. The terrain is marked by dozens of named grassy openings including Twelvemile Prairie, Dollar Prairie, and the curiously named Starvation Prairie. These features provide a detailed look at the hydrology of the Big Cypress region before extensive modern development.

Evidence of early 20th-century industry appears as the Old Railroad Grade, cutting east-to-west through the wetlands. While much of the area remained unsurveyed or wild, a new road is noted as being (UNDER CONSTRUCTION), signaling the shift from rail-based timber extraction to modern highway transit. Small clusters of higher ground like Pretty Island and Royal Palm Hammock provide the only significant relief in an otherwise fluid environment.