1952 Map of Fort Kissimmee NW

About this map

The Kissimmee River meanders through a complex network of wetlands and hammocks in this early 1950s survey of the Florida interior. A significant portion of the western terrain is occupied by the Avon Park Bombing Range, its Bombing Range Boundary cutting diagonally across a landscape defined by seasonal water flow and scattered hardwood islands. These islands, known locally as hammocks, appear with descriptive names like Rattlesnake Hammock, Hard Luck Hammock, and Orange Hammock, providing dry ground amidst the expansive marsh system. The intricate drainage of the region is evident in the numerous waterways feeding the river, including the curiously named Ice Cream Slough, as well as Eightmile Slough and Tick Island Slough. This map documents the natural hydrology of the area before modern water management projects significantly altered the river's course, preserving a view of the original wetland mosaic at the intersection of Polk, Osceola, Highlands, and Okeechobee counties.