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1949 Map of Pacific Reef

Name: 1949 Topographic Map of Pacific Reef
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1949
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1949

About this map

Pacific Reef Lighthouse stands as a primary navigational sentinel in this 1940s hydrographic and topographic study of the upper Florida Keys. The map captures the intricate boundary where the Atlantic Ocean meets the shallow turquoise waters of Turtle Harbor. On the western edge, the dense vegetation of Old Rhodes Key and Totten Key provides a terrestrial anchor to an otherwise maritime landscape.

Strategic maritime infrastructure is meticulously recorded, including Pacific Reef Beacon No 2 and the Ten-Foot Shoals Beacon No 3, which guided vessels through the treacherous reef line. The presence of Old Rhodes Point and the narrow passage of Old Rhodes Channel illustrates the natural corridors used by mariners before modern dredging altered many of these coastal features. This survey, based on 1946 aerial photography and 1947 ground topography, preserves the mid-century shoreline of Dade County.