Loading map...

1970 Map of Perdido Bay

Name: 1970 Topographic Map of Perdido Bay
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1988
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1988

About this map

The coastal borderlands of Alabama and Florida meet along the waters of Perdido Bay, where this 1970 survey (with 1980s updates) captures a transition between residential growth and protected wetlands. Developments like Treasure Hill Park and Gulf Beach Heights appear alongside a complex network of bayous and flats, including Tarkiln Bayou and Kern Bayou. The map emphasizes the recreational and conservation character of the Gulf coast, highlighting the expansive Big Lagoon State Recreation Area and the Gulf Islands National Seashore stretching across the barrier island.

Waterborne transit and recreation are central to the landscape, from the Holiday Harbor Marina to the heavily trafficked Intracostal Waterway. The geography is defined by narrow landforms like Perdido Key and Ono Island, separated by the Old River. These features illustrate the shifting shoreline dynamics before the era of intensive coastal development, preserving a view of the sandbars, tidal flats, and marshy reaches like Garcon Swamp that once defined the Alabama-Florida line.