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1972 Map of Marathon

Name: 1972 Topographic Map of Marathon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1972
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1972

About this map

Vaca Key serves as the primary corridor for development on this orthophotomap, showing the Middle Keys as they transitioned into a modern vacation and residential hub in the early 1970s. The settlement of Marathon is depicted alongside growing communities at Marathon Shores and Key Colony Beach, where intricate canal systems and local infrastructure like the Marathon Airport and Sombrero Country Club are clearly visible.

Navigational and coastal features dominate the surrounding waters of Florida Bay and the Straits of Florida. Detailed hydrographic data highlights treacherous areas such as East Washerwomen Shoal and Delta Shoal, while the intricate shoreline reveals Boot Key Harbor and the Coast Guard Sta near Hog Key. This unique aerial perspective provides a precise look at the dredging and land-shaping that defined the Keys' mid-century expansion, from the residential fingers of Tingler Island to the isolated Sombrero Key to the south.