Florida through the Centuries...
(Click on images to enlarge)

The first map shown here is circa 1690 by N. Visscher. This map's coastline was actually borrowed from  a 1638 map by a famous Dutch Mapmaker Willem Blaeu (pen name - actual name was Willem Janszoon).  The difference between the two maps is that this one details more inland features such as rivers and towns but still fails to show Lake Okeechobee.  Adequate coastline mapping had been established by this time but maps of the day illustrated Florida as comprising the whole of Texas east to the Atlantic and north to an incorrect east-west running Appalachian mountain range. 

This next map was produced by the French Mapmaker Guillaume de L'Isle in 1720. De L'Isle was the first to disclose French discoveries in North America on his maps although this was one of the last maps to show the south of the United States as "Florida".  Maps to follow were to show "Louisiana" comprising much of the south.  This map also was one of the first to illustrate thematic features such as the direction of the trade winds and gulf stream.  The orientation of the Appalachian Mountain chain is corrected at this time and Lake Okeechobee makes it's first appearance.

The third map in this series was produced by J.B. Homann in 1722.  This map is very interesting in that J.B. Homann produced a map only two years earlier that was virtually identical to the previous map you just saw (except showing Louisiana rather than Florida).  As you can see, Florida is radically different in this map.  Why would the same mapmaker produce two totally different views of the same area?  The answer is simple - they were mapmakers and mapmakers only.  They were not responsible for the data supporting their maps.  Give them some field notes and they would dutifully and skillfully sketch them into a work of art.  This map was based upon the surveys and excursions of a Franciscan missionary named Father Hennepin who set out to more accurately plot the upper course of the Mississippi.  An apparent lack of data regarding Florida is clearly illustrated.

The English mapmaker William Faden produced the fourth map in our series dated 1793.  The late 1700's saw huge improvements in surveying technique and accuracy as well as better and more widespread communication - the sharing of supportive data.  As you can see, much more accurate maps were becoming available with more attention being paid to the technical data rather than "political bias".  Here you see many internal Northern Florida lakes appearing. Note though that "Lake Okeechobee" is shown as Lake Mayaca and the Everglades are still not clearly illustrated.

In 1837, T.G. Bradford produced the fifth map in our series.  The coastlines and islands are near perfect by this time and the Everglades are starting to be recognized.  Westward expansion and discovery explodes and surveyors are very busy as we moved from Territories to Statehood.  The emphasis was always placed on land surrounding rivers as that was important to transportation and trade and of course, where people were first settling.  Some inland features were still lacking... Lake Okeechobee shown as two lakes - Okeechobee and Mayaca.

By 1862, highly accurate maps were becoming available as illustrated by this map by G.W. Colton.  Colton was one of the finest and sought after mapmakers of the day producing hundreds of  maps based upon the U.S. Coast Survey and "the most authentic surveys".  Here you can see features such as the Everglades, Tampa and Charlotte harbors, Cape Canaveral and Lake Okeechobee all clearly defined.  By the mid 1800's highly accurate Florida maps (or plats) were available with approximately 75% of the state showing Township lines drawn and approximately 10% of the Townships surveyed.  As a surveyor and collector of antique maps I'm proud to display an authentic 1851 "Plat of Florida" illustrating just this above my desk.