1953 Map of Fort Drum SW

About this map

Little Gumhead Marsh and a series of interconnected wetlands dominate this Okeechobee County landscape as it was documented in the early 1950s. The terrain is characterized by numerous hammocks—islands of hardwood vegetation within the marshy prairies—many bearing local family names like Thomas Hammock, Padgett Hammock, and Irvin Hammock. These elevated areas provided critical dry ground for cattle ranching and early settlement. Water management is already a visible priority on the landscape, with a system of levees constructed to control drainage across the Peat Marsh and surrounding lowlands. The survey also captures natural drainage patterns through features like Twelvemile Slough and Company Slough, while a Lookout Tower in the southeast corner provides a human landmark in this expansive wet prairie environment.