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1958 Map of Saint Catherine

Name: 1958 Topographic Map of Saint Catherine
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1970
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1970

About this map

The Withlacoochee River carves a winding path through the center of this landscape, defining the border between Sumter and Hernando Counties. The river is flanked by the extensive Withlacoochee State Forest, which contains a mix of wet prairies and sinkholes characteristic of the Central Florida interior. Settlements like Saint Catherine, Croom, and Rerdell appear as modest rail-oriented hubs along the Atlantic Coast Line and Seaboard Air Line corridors, reflecting the region's historical reliance on transit and timber. Evidence of local industry is visible in several quarries and a phosphate pit near the forest edge.

Water dominates the eastern half of the map, where a dense network of ponds and prairies—including Silver Lake, Lake Geneva, and Wild Cow Prairie—points to the high water table and karst topography. Notable landmarks for local historians include the Wild Cow Cem and Little Rock Ch, while the inclusion of a Drive-in Theater near Ridge Manor provides a glimpse into the mid-century social landscape.