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1957 Map of Punta Gorda SW

Name: 1957 Topographic Map of Punta Gorda SW
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1973
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1973

About this map

Island Bay NWR and the intricate coastal wetlands of Charlotte County define this 1957 survey, which reveals a landscape where archaeology and nature intersect. The presence of numerous historical sites, including John Quiet Mound, Indian Mound, Cash Mound, and Mound Key, indicates a long human history among the mangroves and tidal creeks. These features are situated near the transition from Gasparilla Sound into Turtle Bay and Bull Bay.

The map captures a specific moment in the mid-century development of the Florida coast, noting the Cape Haze-Rotunda Landing Strip and the emerging infrastructure at Cape Haze. Navigation through the shifting waters is marked by features like the Cutoff, Roberts Gap, and Boggess Hole, while the boundary between Charlotte and Lee Counties is noted as an indefinite line through the shallows. Inland, the terrain is characterized by brackish water bodies such as Forty Acre Pond and Sister Ponds.