1959 Map of Gum Lake

About this map

The vast wetlands of the Green Swamp dominate this late-1950s survey of Polk County, where seasonal waters and marshes isolate small pockets of high ground. In the southeastern corner, the fringes of Haines City show the beginnings of more formal development near Tower Lake and Hammock Lake. This era highlights the rural transition of the Florida interior, where established tracts like Holiday Manor and the Radio Towers (WGTO) stand out against a backdrop of citrus groves and scattered ponds. A significant pipeline and the Polk City Road carve straight paths through the swampy terrain, connecting isolated wells and water bodies like Lake Lowery and Gum Lake. The landscape is dotted with varied hydrologic features, from the deep Crystal Lake to the shallow marshes of Duck Pond, reflecting the complex drainage patterns of the region before modern water management altered the natural flow of the swamp.