1921 Bureau of Soils Map of Duval County, Florida

A scarce 1921 soil map of Duval County, Florida, produced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Bureau of Soils. It was published at the start of the Florida Land Boom, when Jacksonville was dubbed the 'Gateway to Florida' for tourists and migrants from northern states.

A Closer Look

The entirety of Duval County is displayed, with Jacksonville at center and the St. Johns River weaving through the county before emptying into the Atlantic Ocean. A variety of soil types, mostly sandy, are represented in brilliant color, corresponding to a legend at left. Roads (including the Dixie Highway), railroads (including the Florida East Coast Railroad), mines, bridges, administrative boundaries, elevation, and waterways are also indicated as noted at left.

Florida Land Boom

Jacksonville was emblematic of Florida as a whole in trying to position itself as a tropical retreat for wealthy northerners in the late 19th and early 20th century. After achieving some success in this regard in the 1880s, the city's reputation took a hit with repeated Yellow Fever outbreaks. In the 1910s, the city was able to attract motion picture companies looking for a convenient warm weather location to shoot films. Then, in the 1920s, Jacksonville saw an influx of capital and people, aided by the transportation links provided by the Dixie Highway and the Florida East Coast Railroad. Even though most tourists and migrants only passed through Jacksonville on their way to destinations further south, the city still benefitted economically, and new development increased accordingly. The precise accounting of the soils around the county provided by this map would have been invaluable for construction and urban planning purposes.

Publication History and Census

This map was published in 1921 by the Bureau of Soils, with Arthur E. Taylor and T.J. Dunnewald conducting surveys which were applied to a base map produced by the U.S. Geological Survey. It is held by Brigham Young University, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, the University of Chicago, Lake Superior State University, the Jacksonville Public Library, the University of North Florida, the University of Central Florida, and the University of Alabama.