Titled “Rock Harbor,” this US Geological Survey map was published in 1965 using survey data from 1947, preserving a mid-century portrait of Key Largo and the surrounding waters of the upper Florida Keys. At a precise 1:24,000 scale, it belongs to the classic USGS topographical tradition: meticulous, restrained, and rich in practical geographic intelligence. The map captures a coastal landscape defined less by dramatic elevation than by subtle transitions between land, mangrove, tidal water, and open sea. Its subdued greens and clean linework distinguish vegetation, low relief, waterways, roads, and settlement patterns, offering an elegant visual language for a region where the boundary between land and water is constantly negotiated.

The geography shown here is unmistakably Floridian: Key Largo stretches between Florida Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, with Buttonwood Sound, Blackwater Sound, Largo Sound, and nearby creeks forming a lacework of sheltered marine passages. The map records the watery infrastructure of the Keys with exceptional clarity, from Angel Fish Creek and Tavernier Creek to Georges Creek and Raccoon Creek. These channels were not merely scenic features, but vital corridors for fishing, boating, local travel, and ecological exchange. The surrounding shallows, mangroves, and low-lying coastlines evoke a landscape shaped by tides, storms, limestone, and seagrass, where navigation depended on intimate knowledge of channels, keys, and sounds.

Produced by the US Geological Survey, “Rock Harbor” reflects the agency’s mid-twentieth-century commitment to systematic national mapping. USGS quadrangles of this period were valued for their accuracy, consistency, and ability to support engineering, planning, conservation, and land management. In the Florida Keys, such mapping held particular importance, as the region was experiencing growing tourism, expanding road access, and increasing environmental scrutiny. US Route 1, the celebrated Overseas Highway, appears as a defining thread through the island chain, linking Key Largo with Tavernier, Plantation Key, Upper Matecumbe Key, and the wider archipelago. Its presence marks the transformation of the Keys from remote maritime settlements into an accessible modern destination.

The map is especially compelling for its relationship to Everglades National Park and the protected landscapes of South Florida. Established in 1947—the same year as the survey data used here—the park represented a landmark shift in American conservation, protecting not a single scenic monument but an immense, interconnected wetland ecosystem. By placing Key Largo beside Florida Bay and the Everglades region, the map reveals the ecological continuity between the mainland wetlands, the bay, and the coral-and-limestone island chain beyond. It is a cartographic snapshot of a pivotal era, when development pressures and conservation ambitions were beginning to define the future of South Florida’s coast.

As a historical document, “Rock Harbor” invites comparison with the modern Keys, where development, marine protection, hurricane impacts, and changing sea levels have reshaped both the built and natural environment. Places such as Coon Key, Lignumvitae Key, Tavernier, and the waters around Key Largo appear within a quieter mid-century framework, before later decades of intensified tourism and environmental regulation. The map’s topographic character is subtle but revealing: it emphasizes drainage, vegetation, shorelines, and human access rather than mountains or steep contours. In doing so, it captures the particular drama of the Florida Keys—a landscape of low relief and high ecological significance, poised between ocean, bay, and wilderness.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Key Largo
• Everglades National Park
• Buttonwood Sound
• Florida Bay
• Atlantic Ocean
• Tavernier
• Tavanier Creek
• Largo Sound
• Georges Creek
• Plantation Key
• Angel Fish Creek
• Lower Matecumbe Key
• Upper Matecumbe Key
• Blackwater Sound
• Coon Key
• Raccoon Creek
• Lignumvitae Key
• Florida Keys
• Monroe County
• US Route 1 highway
• Associated trails and waterways in the area

Historical context & cartographic details

• Map title: Rock Harbor
• Published by the US Geological Survey, also known as USGS.
• Created using survey data from 1947 and published in 1965.
• Historical topographical map at a scale of 1:24,000.
• Illustrates Key Largo, Florida, and its surrounding coastal environment.
• Produced to highlight significant geographical details and landscape changes in the area.
• Features a subdued color palette, with varying shades of green indicating elevations and land use.
• Typical of USGS topographical map design from the mid-20th century.
• Shows detailed terrain information, including elevations, waterways, and vegetation.
• Reflects the geographical landscape of the 1940s-1960s era.
• Useful for comparison with contemporary maps to observe environmental and infrastructural changes.
• Especially relevant to development and conservation history in the Everglades region.

Looking for a particular place? Review the detailed images to confirm that the town, landmark or feature you have in mind appears on the map. If you are unsure, ask our workshop to check before you order.

Detailed maps are especially rewarding at larger sizes, where names, boundaries and decorative features have more room to be appreciated. Use the close-up preview and size guide to choose the right scale for your wall.

This map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 50in (125cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please get in touch.

The model in the listing images is holding the 16x20in (40x50cm) version of this map.

Where personalisation is available, you can add a short title or dedication, mark one meaningful place, or request one considered visual detail. See personalised map examples.

Every piece is printed to museum-grade archival standards using fade-resistant pigment inks on acid-free matte paper. Choose an unframed map print, framed map or canvas using the finish options above. Framed maps use crystal-clear optical acrylic and arrive ready to hang.

With its rich detail and strong sense of place, this map makes a considered gift for a new home, anniversary, retirement or anyone with a personal connection to the area shown. Still deciding? Explore our collection of rare old and vintage maps to discover another place, period or style.

This map is also available as a float framed canvas, sometimes known as a shadow gap framed canvas or canvas floater. The map is printed on artist's cotton canvas and then stretched over a handmade box frame. We then "float" the canvas inside a wooden frame, which is available in a range of colours (black, dark brown, oak, antique gold and white). This is a wonderful way to present a map without glazing in front. See some examples of float framed canvas maps and explore the differences between my different finishes.

For something truly unique, this map is also available in "Unique 3D", our trademarked process that dramatically transforms the map so that it has a wonderful sense of depth. We combine the original map with detailed topography and elevation data, so that mountains and the terrain really "pop". For more info and examples of 3D maps, check my Unique 3D page.