1958 Map of Madison SW

About this map

San Pedro Bay dominates this landscape, a vast wetlands area straddling the border between Madison and Taylor counties in the Florida Panhandle. The map reveals a remote territory largely defined by its drainage and natural features, such as the headwaters of the Fenholloway River. Human settlement is minimal, represented by the New Oakland Ch in the northwestern corner and a network of unmarked roads labeled only as Private. The presence of the Sinclair Lookout suggests the importance of timber management and fire surveillance within the dense bay vegetation during the mid-20th century. This survey, based on aerial photography from the early 1950s and planetable work in 1958, provides a clear record of the area's hydrology before later industrial or agricultural alterations occurred.