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1954 Map of Mallory Swamp SE

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of Mallory Swamp SE
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1955
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1955

About this map

Mallory Swamp dominates this remote stretch of Florida territory at the mid-century, straddling the boundary line between Lafayette and Dixie Counties. The landscape is a complex mosaic of wet prairies, bays, and hammocks, including the curiously named Deserters Hammock in the northwest. While much of the terrain is characterized by inaccessible wetlands, human activity is marked by seasonal or utilitarian outposts such as McElvain Camp and Cow Camp.

Concentrated toward the eastern and southern edges of the swamp, a network of named water bodies like Matthis Lake, Governor Hill Lake, and Cemetery Lake provide focal points for local geography. The presence of Pleasant Grove Cem near the eastern margin suggests small rural communities or family settlements that utilized the higher ground surrounding the swamp. The network of unimproved roads and trails shown suggests an era when timber or cattle work defined the local economy, long before modern drainage or development significantly altered the Floridian interior.