1949 Map of Wilson

About this map

Merritt Island and the surrounding coastal marshlands define this transition from traditional Florida maritime life to the aerospace era. Grounded in a 1949 survey with later revisions, the landscape shows the intersection of the John F Kennedy Space Center (NASA) with established coastal features like Ragin Fish Camp and the settlement at Wilson. The map documents a complex aquatic environment where the Mosquito Lagoon meets the Atlantic Ocean, segmented by the Haulover Canal and the remnants of an Old Canal. The southern reaches of the sheet are heavily influenced by federal development, most notably the US Government RR serving the burgeoning space program infrastructure. This survey captures a specific moment when the Canaveral National Seashore and National Wildlife Refuge boundaries preserved natural landmarks like Klondike Beach alongside the emerging Launch Complex 39B.