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1971 Map of Upper Matecumbe Key

Name: 1971 Topographic Map of Upper Matecumbe Key
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1973
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1973

About this map

Islamorada serves as the primary hub of development on Upper Matecumbe Key, marking a significant point of human presence amidst the expansive waters of Florida Bay. The 1971 orthophotomap detail captures the intricate relationship between the Overseas Highway and the surrounding archipelago, including the Teatable Key Fill and the nearby Indian Key. This survey highlights the region's hydrography, showing the complex network of channels such as Steamboat Channel and Race Channel that navigate between shallow banks like the Lignumvitae Key Bank.

The northern portion of the map is dominated by the southern reaches of Everglades National Park, encompassing numerous small islands like Panhandle Key, Torry Key 2, and the Gopher Keys. The transition from the protected park waters to the open Hawk Channel illustrates the delicate balance of the Keys ecosystem, where natural features like Lignumvitae Key stand in contrast to the engineered path of the Intracostal Waterway.