Loading map...

1981 Map of Fort Myers

Name: 1981 Topographic Map of Fort Myers
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1981
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1981

About this map

The Caloosahatchee River serves as the central artery of this Southwest Florida corridor, flowing from the edge of Lake Okeechobee toward the growing coastal centers of Fort Myers and Cape Coral. By the early 1980s, the landscape reflects a transition from traditional agricultural and water-management systems to large-scale residential development. Inland, the planned community of Lehigh Acres shows its expansive grid, while the Herbert Hoover Dike and Caloosahatchee Waterway illustrate the region's massive hydrological engineering.

Rural character remains prominent along the northern and eastern reaches, anchored by the Cecil M Webb Wildlife Management Area and the Brighton Indian Reservation. The Seaboard Coast Line railroad traces a path through interior settlements like Palmdale and Moore Haven, connecting the lakefront to the river valley. From the riverside docks of La Belle to the small airfields like Lehigh Acres Airport, this survey records a pivotal moment of suburban expansion into the Florida interior.