1956 Map of Soldier Key

About this map

Biscayne Bay and the Atlantic Ocean define this maritime survey of the upper Florida Keys during the mid-1950s. The landscape is a complex of shallow banks and coral formations, most notably the chain including Soldier Key, the Ragged Keys, and the northern reach of Sands Key. Navigational markers and tidal data dominate the nautical character of the sheet, highlighting the Intracoastal Waterway and its Project Depth 7 Feet as it cuts south through the bay. Notable land-based features are scarce on these low-lying islands, though a Lookout Tower is recorded on the southern portion of the Ragged Keys. The map documents the aquatic boundary of the Coral Gables City Boundary, illustrating how municipal limits extended into the open water. Shoals like Featherbed Bank and Bowles Bank provide a detailed look at the submerged topography before later environmental changes and modern recreational development altered the keys' character.