1970 Map of Grayton Beach

About this map

Coastal dune lakes and emerging resort communities characterize this Gulf of Mexico shoreline just before the region's massive late-century development. Grayton Beach State Park dominates the central coast, protecting the significant Western Lake and its surrounding sand dunes. This survey captures the modest early footprints of coastal settlements like Santa Rosa Beach, Blue Mountain Beach, and Seagrove Beach, which are connected by a network of unimproved roads and several jeep trails. North of the coastal ridge, the landscape transitions to a complex system of bayous, including Bowman and McQuage Bayou, where the land begins to rise toward Blue Mtn. Genealogists may find interest in a small cemetery located inland from Dune Allen Beach, while the presence of a Boat Ramp and Campgrounds near the state park indicates the area's growing identity as a recreational destination in the early 1970s.