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1956 Map of Tampa

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Tampa
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1987
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1987

About this map

St Petersburg and Tampa anchor a coastline defined by intricate barrier islands and expanding mid-century infrastructure. The mid-1950s landscape, updated in the early 1970s, shows the primary transit links across Tampa Bay, including the Gandy Bridge and the Howard Frankland Bridge. Military operations are centered at Mac Dill AFB on the Interbay Peninsula, while the Seaboard Coast Line railroad facilitates inland commerce toward Brandon and Wimauma.

Southward along the Gulf Coast, the map traces the early development of coastal communities like Venice and Englewood before the massive expansion of the modern era. Conservation efforts are already evident with established preserves such as Myakka River State Park and the J N (Ding) Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island. Historical landmarks like the De Soto National Memorial at the mouth of the Manatee River provide points of interest for local history researchers.