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1949 Map of Sampson

Name: 1949 Topographic Map of Sampson
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1972
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1972

About this map

Lake Sampson, Lake Crosby, and Lake Rowell dominate the central landscape of this Bradford County survey, forming a significant cluster of natural water bodies south of Raiford. The settlement of Sampson and the Sampson City Sta mark the intersection of critical regional transport lines, where the Southern and Seaboard Coast Line railroads converge near the headwaters of the Sampson River. These tracks once dictated the movement of agricultural goods and passengers through this lake-rich Florida interior.

Evidence of mid-century rural life and infrastructure is widespread, from the Pine Level Ch and localized education centers like Rising Sch and Water-Oak Sch to more modern additions like an Emergency Airfield and a Drive-in Theater. The map captures a transition in the post-war era, preserving the locations of several small cemeteries and family-named landmarks before later land use changes or suburban expansion altered the character of the Florida backcountry.