1972 Map of Horseshoe Keys

About this map

Horseshoe Keys and the surrounding shallow flats of the lower Florida Keys are captured here during a 1972 field check. This orthophotomap provides a rare visual of the intricate seafloor patterns and mangrove islands before modern environmental shifts, specifically within the overlapping boundaries of the Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge and the National Key Deer Refuge. The chart detail emphasizes the navigable routes of the Big Spanish Channel and the Intracoastal Waterway, contrasting the deep Rocky Channel with expansive shoals like Sideboard Bank and Jack Bank. Smaller landforms such as Little Spanish Key, Crawl Key, and West Bahia Honda Key appear as isolated outposts in the Gulf of Mexico, while a solitary Dock on the eastern edge marks one of the few signs of human infrastructure in this protected wilderness.