The Island of Key Largo Monroe County, Florida

Rare real estate map of the Florida Keys from the 1920s Land Boom.

This scarce promotional map was compiled by H.V. Bate in December 1924 on behalf of the Island Holding Company of Miami, Florida. It highlights several large tracts of land, over 25,000 acres in total, available for sale along the Atlantic coast in Key Largo. Parcels and their respective acreage are outlined amid numbered sections across the image, which also notes prominent geographic features, bountiful fishing areas, and local transportation routes. The Florida East Coast Railway and the Dixie Highway (eventually, U.S. 1) are labeled. Both routes are noted as approximate, reflecting ongoing construction. The extension of the highway from Dade County began the month prior to the map’s creation, facilitating the sale of the Island Holding Company property on the island. An inset map in the lower center shows the continuation of both lines to the south, while a second inset shows the broader transportation connections to Miami via road, rail, and water.

Forever memorialized by the Beach Boys’ song ‘Kokomo’, Key Largo is among the largest and northernmost islands that comprise the Florida Keys. It’s located about 70 miles south of Miami, separated from the mainland by Barnes and Blackwater Sounds. The arrival of the railway in the 1910s introduced a period of intense land speculation that grew rapidly with the economic prosperity of the 1920s. Richter Clyde Perky was one such enthusiastic investor, establishing the Island Holding Company and overseeing the acquisition of thousands of acres across fifty islands in the Florida Keys. Text in the lower right of the map notes that 10,000 acres of ‘Perkyland’ were located on Key Largo.

The map is rare and unlisted in WorldCat or other online repositories. The Miami Daily News reprinted a reduced version in one of its issues, referenced in an article by KeysWeekly here.