Loading map...

1958 Map of West Palm Beach

Name: 1958 Topographic Map of West Palm Beach
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1958
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1958

About this map

Lake Okeechobee and the vast wetlands of South Florida define this mid-century landscape, capturing a critical era of agricultural expansion and infrastructure development. The map details the complex network of drainage projects including the Miami Canal, Hillsboro Canal, and North New River Canal which facilitated the growth of the sugar industry around Clewiston and Belle Glade. A prominent sugar plant and sugar mill near the lake shore highlight the economic engine of the region.

To the west, the Caloosahatchee River winds from Lake Hicpochee toward Fort Myers, while the interior remains dominated by the Big Cypress Swamp and the Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation. Along the Atlantic coast, the urbanization of West Palm Beach, Lake Worth, and Boca Raton is well underway, served by the Florida East Coast and Seaboard Air Line railroads. The inclusion of the Jupiter Auxiliary Air Force Base reflects the era's military footprint in the palm-fringed coastal corridor.