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1985 Map of Fort Myers

Name: 1985 Topographic Map of Fort Myers
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1986
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1986

About this map

The Caloosahatchee River serves as the central artery of this mid-1980s landscape, connecting the expanding Gulf Coast communities of Fort Myers and Cape Coral to the interior reaches of Lake Okeechobee. This era shows the suburban footprint of Lehigh Acres and North Fort Myers beginning to press against vast conservation and agricultural lands, including the Cecil M Webb Wildlife Management Area and the Caloosahatchee State Recreation Area.

Transit patterns of the period are defined by the Seaboard Coast Line railroad and a network of canals, such as the Rim Canal and Townsend Canal, which manage the complex hydrology of the Everglades fringe. The map documents smaller inland settlements like La Belle, Alva, and Palmdale, alongside established aviation hubs like Page Field and the Lehigh Acres Airport. To the northeast, the Brighton Indian Reservation sits near the marshy shores of Moonshine Bay, highlighting the diverse land use of South Florida before the intensive development of the late 20th century.