1955 Map of Shired Island

About this map

Shired Island and the neighboring Big Pine Island anchor this coastal landscape where the Gulf of Mexico meets the intricate wetland systems of Dixie County. The terrain is defined by a dense network of tidal creeks and marshes, including Amason Creek, Fishbone Creek, and Sanders Creek, which drain the massive California Swamp. This mid-century survey reveals a transition in land use, showing an Old Railroad Grade cutting through the interior forests, a remnant of earlier timber extraction in a region now primarily dedicated to conservation. Massive protected zones dominate the map, including the Perpetual Wildlife Management Area and the Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge, highlighting the shift from industrial forest exploitation toward environmental preservation in the late twentieth century.