1944 Map of Lutz

About this map

Lutz and its surrounding cypress wetlands are captured here just as World War II-era mapping efforts documented the Florida interior. The landscape is defined by an intricate network of hundreds of small lakes, such as Lake Thomas, King Lake, and Lake Hobbs, interspersed with the expansive Big Cypress Swamp and Cabbage Swamp to the east. Transportation during this period was anchored by the parallel routes of the Seaboard Air Line and the Atlantic Coast Line railroads, which serviced small communities like Drexel and Denham. The map reveals a transition from these rail-dependent settlements toward a road-connected interior, evidenced by Feinbinger Road and Sunset Lane. Local life centers on landmarks like the Myrtle Denham School, the Drexel Church, and the roadside attraction at Dupree Gardens, providing a detailed look at the rural character of northern Hillsborough and southern Pasco counties before later suburban expansion.