1943 Map of Dinner Island

About this map

The low-lying wetlands of Big Fish Tail Swamp and the Florida Game Refuge dominate this wartime landscape on the border of St. Johns and Flagler Counties. The area is characterized by numerous dry "islands" rising out of the swampy terrain, including Turkey Island, Pine Island, and the eponymous Dinner Island. Transportation corridors provide the primary structural elements of the map, with the Florida East Coast railway and the Old Dixie Highway cutting through the center. Small settlements and sidings like Spuds, Byrd, and Espanola dot the rail lines, while Old Kings Road traces an older path toward Pellicer Creek. The map reflects a period before modern drainage and development transformed this section of the Florida interior, preserving the location of early rural infrastructure like Neoga Sta and the landing at Cedar Landing.