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1955 Map of Eloise

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Eloise
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1956
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1956

About this map

Cypress Gardens and an intricate network of freshwater lakes define this mid-century Florida landscape, captured just as the region’s citrus and tourism identity was flourishing. The map illustrates a transition from industrial activity to residential growth, with the Atlantic Coast Line and Seaboard Air Line railroads intersecting at Eloise. These rail corridors once served the packing houses and phosphate interests of Polk County, connecting settlements like Wahneta and West Lake Wales to broader markets.

Water management is a dominant theme throughout the sheet, visible in the extensive drainage canals and a Fish Hatchery near Lake Gwyn. Genealogists and local historians can locate community centers such as Rifle Range Ch and Southland Ch, or trace the winding course of the Peace River as it moves south toward Mule Island. From the Lookout Tower near Lake Fox to the Lake Wales Municipal Airport, the map provides a look at a landscape undergoing significant post-war modernization.