1952 Map of Homeland

About this map

Peace River dominates the central corridor of this Florida landscape, serving as a boundary between agricultural lands and the growing industrial footprint of the mid-century phosphate industry. The map captures a moment when extensive extractive operations, labeled as Noralyn Mine and numerous Strip Mines, were reshaping the topography north of Fort Meade. These mining efforts are deeply integrated with the transportation network, featuring complex rail spurs from the Atlantic Coast Line and Seaboard Air Line railroads. Smaller settlements like Homeland and Pembroke—the latter featuring a small Landing Field—sit at the junctions of these industrial arteries. For genealogists, the map preserves the locations of several burial grounds, including Evergreen Cem, Hancock Cem, and Peace Creek Cem, providing spatial context for local families living near water bodies like Sand Lake and Mud Lake.