1949 Map of Mulberry

About this map

Phosphate mining defines the landscape of this 1949 survey, where extensive Strip Mines and tailings ponds surround the industrial hub of Mulberry. The town serves as a critical junction for the Atlantic Coast Line and Seaboard Air Line railroads, which weave through a geography reshaped by extraction. To the north, older community centers like Medulla and Ardella persist, anchored by local institutions such as St Johns Ch Medulla and Medulla Sch. The contrast between the natural hydrology of Scott Lake or Banana Lake and the engineered mine pits illustrates a territory in mid-century transition. Genealogists can locate several historic burial grounds, including Prairie Cem and Malloy Cem, while local historians can trace the growth of outlying settlements like Fountain Heights and Highland City during Polk County's post-war industrial era.