1956 Map of Duette NE

About this map

Phosphate mining dominates the landscape where four Florida counties converge in this mid-century survey. Large expanses of Strip Mine and Reclaimed Strip Mine operations are mapped in detail across the eastern and northern portions of the quadrangle, illustrating the industrial transformation of central Florida. Despite this heavy industry, rural local life persists at Bethlehem Ch and a nearby Cem, which stand between the extractive sites and the natural drainage systems. The terrain is defined by the headwaters of several major waterways, including the South Prong Alafia River and the Little Manatee River. This edition is particularly notable for its 1980s-era purple photorevisions, which document the expansion of reclamation efforts and new mining pits that occurred decades after the original 1950s topography was established. The map serves as a technical record of the shifting boundaries between the natural Alderman Creek basin and the engineering required by large-scale mineral extraction.