1947 Map of Garden Cove

About this map

Key Largo's eastern shoreline and the surrounding turquoise waters of the Atlantic Ocean and Barnes Sound dominate this topographic study, photorevised just before the 1970s. The small settlement of Garden Cove sits as a primary point of interest along the coast, near the sheltered waters of Lake Surprise and Lake Simmons. The map captures a transition period for the northern Florida Keys, where the limestone ridges of the Basin Hills meet intricate mangrove coastlines and tidal inlets like Rattlesnake Creek. Navigation aids are a critical element of this coastal record, ranging from the Key Largo Beacon No 29 out in the Atlantic to the lighthouse at Basin Hill Lt No 31. To the south, the map details the rugged geometry of El Radabob Key and the shoals near The Elbow, providing essential detail for those studying the maritime history and land development patterns of Monroe County during the mid-twentieth century.