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1978 Map of Fort Walton Beach

Name: 1978 Topographic Map of Fort Walton Beach
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1980
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1980

About this map

Eglin Air Force Base dominates the northern landscape of this 1970s survey, a period when the military presence and coastal tourism began to shape the modern identity of the Florida Panhandle. The map captures the intricate shoreline of Choctawhatchee Bay and the Santa Rosa Sound, highlighting the critical passage of the Intracoastal Waterway. Along the Gulf, the Santa Rosa Island beach ridge is shown with its shifting sand dunes, stretching past developing communities like Destin, Miramar Beach, and Grayton Beach.

Inland, the drainage of the Choctawhatchee River and Black Creek creates a network of bayous and points, such as Boggy Bayou near Valparaiso and Hogtown Bayou. Aviation infrastructure is prominent, with several satellite facilities including Aux Field No 9 and Aux Field No 1 supporting the regional defense mission. This map documents a transitional era for the Emerald Coast, before the intensive high-rise development of later decades transformed these fishing and military outposts.