1949 Map of Tropic

About this map

Patrick Air Force Base dominates the northern reaches of this barrier island landscape, anchoring a stretch of the Florida coast undergoing significant mid-century development. The barrier island, separated from Merritt Island by the Banana River, shows a growing network of residential streets and canals across Satellite Beach and Indian Harbour Beach. This survey, originally compiled in 1947 and field-checked in 1949, captures the area just before the space age would transform Brevard County into a global hub. Maritime navigation is vital to the area's character, evidenced by the series of daybeacons marking the Indian River and Banana River Aquatic Preserve, such as the Riley Daybeacon and Ban Daybeacon. Connectivity to the mainland is established via the Pineda Causeway and the Eau Gallie Bridge, while the southernmost portion reveals the northern fringes of Melbourne and the community of Eau Gallie.