1973 Map of Old Myakka

About this map

Lake Myakka and the surrounding wetlands of Myakka River State Park define this Gulf Coast interior landscape in the early 1970s. The map illustrates a transitional environment where the wild marshlands of Tatum Sawgrass and Gum Slough meet the growing residential and agricultural footprints of eastern Sarasota County. Historical human activity is marked by the Caloosa Indian Mound and the small settlement of Old Myakka, where the Miakka Ch serves as a community anchor near Verna Road. The region's logistical history is visible in the Old RR Grade cutting through the terrain south of Utopia, while more modern developments are represented by the Hidden River Airport and various landing strips that reflect the area's mid-century rural aviation character. The drainage network, featuring Cow Pen Slough and Indian Creek, highlights the complex hydrology managed across the Sarasota and Manatee county lines.