1973 Map of Marco Island

About this map

Marco and its neighboring island communities are captured here in a period of significant coastal transformation during the early 1970s. This orthophotomap combines traditional topographic data with aerial photography, revealing the intricate finger-canal developments that define the modern shoreline around Smokehouse Bay and Collier Bay. Amidst this rapid suburban expansion, older landmarks remain visible, including St Marks Ch, Barfield Sch, and the Old Railroad Grade cutting across the landscape. The intricate mangrove estuaries of the Ten Thousand Islands are shown in detail, with a complex network of waterways like the Big Marco River, Barfield Bay, and Blue Hill Creek separating Horrs Island and Kice Island from the mainland and the settled reaches of Goodland. The presence of the Toll Bridge at Bear Pt illustrates the growing connectivity of the Isles of Capri during this era.