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1971 Map of Plantation Key

Name: 1971 Topographic Map of Plantation Key
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1973
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1973

About this map

Plantation Key and Upper Matecumbe Key dominate this 1971 orthophotomap, showing the upper Florida Keys as they appeared before the intensive modernization of later decades. The aerial photography reveals the dense vegetation and coral-derived landscape of the era, punctuated by early developments like the Island Community Ch and Coral Shores Sch near the northern end of Plantation Key. In the settlement of Islamorada, the map captures the nautical character of the community, detailing Windley Harbor and the Whale Harbor Channel.

Waterways are central to the landscape, with the Intracostal Waterway cutting through Florida Bay to the north and the deep expanse of the Hawk Channel and Straits of Florida to the south. Notable maritime infrastructure includes the Coast Guard Sta near Snake Creek and various anchorages such as Cowpens Anchorage. This record is particularly valuable for tracing the original footprint of local landmarks like Plantation Pt and Windley Key during a transitional period of coastal growth.