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1954 Map of Ozello

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of Ozello
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1955
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1955

About this map

The small fishing village of Ozello sits as a lonely outpost amidst a sprawling labyrinth of mangrove islands and salt marshes on the Florida Gulf Coast. This 1954 survey by the Geological Survey and Coast and Geodetic Survey illustrates the complex hydrology of the Citrus County shoreline, where the St Martins River and Homosassa River meet the Gulf of Mexico. The landscape is dominated by tidal channels and bays, including Greenleaf Bay and Game Creek Bay, which provided essential navigation for local mariners before modern development.

South of the main settlement, the northern reaches of the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge are established, preserving the intricate networks of Mason Creek and Battle Creek. The map details numerous island chains and named points of interest for local history, such as the St Martins Keys, Bear Island, and the aptly named Hell Gate passage. These coastal features reflect a way of life deeply tied to the water, where movement was dictated by the tides and the shifting sands of places like Shell Island.