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1956 Map of Soldier Key

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Soldier Key
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1968
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1968

About this map

Soldier Key and the northern reaches of the Ragged Keys anchor this maritime survey of the shallow waters between Biscayne Bay and the open Atlantic Ocean. The map reveals a delicate ecosystem defined by shifting shoals and tidal banks, such as Featherbed Bank and Bowles Bank, which dictate navigation outside the maintained Intracoastal Waterway.

Evidence of maritime surveillance and navigation is clear, with a Lookout Tower positioned on one of the southern keys and numerous daybeacons marking the flats. The northern edge of the sheet is defined by the Coral Gables City Boundary, while the southernmost landmass shown is the tip of Sands Key at Sands Point. The presence of a Submerged Pipe near Black Ledge suggests early infrastructure reaching into these Florida waters during the mid-1950s.