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1958 Map of Sanibel

Name: 1958 Topographic Map of Sanibel
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1962
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1962

About this map

Sanibel Island and the southern tip of Pine Island dominate this late 1950s survey of Lee County's coastal waters. The landscape is defined by the intricate relationship between land and sea, featuring the protected waters of Tarpon Bay and the narrow passage of the Short Cutoff. On the eastern tip of Sanibel, Point Ybel serves as a critical maritime landmark, home to the Sanibel Island Lighthouse and a concentration of local infrastructure including the Sanibel Sch and Sanibel Cem.

A small Landing Field and the Dixie Beach road indicate the early stages of mid-century development. Across San Carlos Bay, the settlement of St James City sits at the southern terminus of Pine Island, while Punta Rassa guards the eastern mainland approach. The map captures the islands before the heavy modern footprints arrived, preserving the original extent of the Sanibel Bayou and numerous mangrove-rich keys like York Island and Big Sister Key.