1944 Map of Sarasota

About this map

Sarasota stands as a burgeoning coastal hub on the eve of post-war expansion, its downtown core concentrated east of Sarasota Bay. This 1940s landscape is defined by the ambitious infrastructure connecting the mainland to the barrier islands, most notably the Ringling Causeway which links the city to St Armand Key and Coon Key. To the north, the Sarasota Municipal Airport and the Booker Schs mark the edges of residential growth, while the waterfront reflects a working maritime economy at Payne Terminal and Fishery Point. The inland reaches show the paths of the Atlantic Coast Line and Seaboard Air Line railroads, which facilitated the region's winter tourism and agricultural exports. South of the city center, the terrain transitions into the residential pockets of Sarasota Heights and the intricate waterways of Phillippi Creek and Roberts Bay.