1956 Map of Murdock NW

About this map

Myakka River State Park dominates the northern reaches of this mid-century landscape, preserving a vast network of wetlands and seasonal waterways along the Manatee and Sarasota County line. The hydrology of the region is defined by winding natural drainages like Deer Prairie Slough and Mossy Island Slough, which are contrasted by the straight, engineered path of the Big Slough Canal. This juxtaposition illustrates early Florida water management efforts designed to reclaim the surrounding prairie for other uses. Traceable remnants of earlier transportation infrastructure appear as the Old Railroad Grade, cutting through the park and across the open wetlands. Several instances of a Flowing Well are marked across the terrain, indicating the subterranean water resources that supported cattle or early land development in this intermittently flooded environment.