1972 Map of Shark Valley Lookout Tower

About this map

Everglades National Park is captured here during the early 1970s, revealing the intricate water patterns of the southern Florida interior. This orthophotomap uses aerial photography to detail the hydrology of Shark Valley Slough and East Slough, where water flows through dense sawgrass marshes and around limestone outcrops. Human access to this environment is defined by the Shark Valley Loop Road and several Airboat Trails that cut through the muck and marl. Notable elevation increases are found at tree islands known as hammocks, including Dogwood Hammock, Iron Pot Hammock, and Seagrape Hammock. At the center of the park's management and visitor experience is the Shark Valley Lookout Tower, which provides a vantage point over the sawgrass prairie. The map also records a Landing Strip and the border between Monroe Co and Dade Co during a period of intense ecological study.