1973 Map of Laurel

About this map

The coastal corridor of Sarasota County is defined here by the transit routes of the Seaboard Coast Line railroad and the Tamiami Trail, which anchor the development of communities like Osprey, Laurel, and Nokomis. The map documents a period of significant residential expansion, evidenced by numerous trailer parks and the proximity of the Mission Valley Country Club. To the west, the Intracoastal Waterway threads through Little Sarasota Bay, Dryman Bay, and Blackburn Bay, separating the mainland from Casey Key and its Nokomis Beach. Inward from the coast, the preservation of Oscar Scherer State Park stands in contrast to the engineered drainage of Cow Pen Slough and the working sandpits, illustrating the evolving land use between environmental conservation and the region's growing infrastructure.