1948 Map of Soldier Key

About this map

Soldier Key and the surrounding chain of islands emerge from the waters of Biscayne Bay and the Atlantic Ocean in this coastal survey based on 1945 aerial photography. The map reveals a strictly maritime environment where terrestrial life is confined to narrow outcroppings like the Ragged Keys and the northern reaches of Sands Key. Despite its distance from the mainland, a portion of the map falls within the jurisdictional boundaries of the City of Coral Gables, illustrating the early 20th-century expansion of municipal limits far into the bay. Navigation and coastal defense are emphasized through landmarks like the Tower, a Light, and several tidal benchmarks including BM 4 Tidal (C). This map documents the pristine, pre-development state of these keys, largely dominated by Mangrove wetlands and rocky points like Sands Point (E).