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1944 Map of Odessa

Name: 1944 Topographic Map of Odessa
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1944
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1944

About this map

Odessa and the surrounding lake country of the Florida peninsula are mapped here during the mid-1940s, a period when this region was defined by its citrus groves and wetlands rather than suburban sprawl. The settlement of Lake Fern serves as a local hub near the Lake Fern School, while the broader landscape is characterized by an intricate network of named water bodies including Keystone Lake, Parker Lake, and Osceola Lake.

Transportation is anchored by two major rail corridors, the Atlantic Coast Line and the Seaboard Air Line, which cut through the cypress swamps and pine lands. The Anclote River and its South Branch meander through the northern precincts, while social landmarks like Camp Mawian YMCA and the Odessa-Denham Hwy reflect the era's emerging road and recreation infrastructure. This survey captures the transition of rural Pasco and Hillsborough counties before the post-war population boom transformed the area.