This collection of survey maps, most from 1843-1848, are the initial survey maps by the Territory and State of Florida to enable land sales. This town ship encompasses land centered north and south of today's Apollo Beach area, Riverview (South), Boyette, Balm and Picnic, east to the Polk County line.

This collection of survey maps, most from 1843-1848, are the initial survey maps by the Territory and State of Florida to enable land sales. This town ship encompasses land within the Alafia River basin, Gibsonton, Riverview (North), Progress Village, Bloomingdale, Lithia and Pinecest, then east to the Polk County line.

Survey by John Jackson of Mangrove Point. Note only land mass is in the SE 1/4 of Section 36, where about half the land shows trees. The rest is either marsh or inundated, per Jackson.

Survey of Mangrove Point at the SE Corner of the Township. Note the phrase "mangrove, impossible, inundated." This is a likely reference to John Jackson's inability to survey further due to the terrain.

These lands were surveyed by Tampa surveyor, John Jackson in 1847 and include lands east of Apollo Beach, and today's US 41, in an area roughly bounded by Big Bend Road, US 41, 19th Street (Ruskin) and US 301. Note the trail marked as "Trail from Manatee to Tampa" running in a rougly NE direction from Section 30 to Section 4. Also note that there is some land marked as "savanna" and the tree markings are more numerous as you go east in the Township.

This section of land encompasses lands in the east central area of Township 31 in areas containing today's Boyette and Balm communities. Note the marked Indian Trail running from section 6 in the Upper NW section to the south central section 33.

This land is the eastern most section of Township 31 in today's Hillsborough County. Today, the small area called "Picnic" is on west central edge of the tract, in section 19. The survey examines lands east of that area to the county line with Polk County. This survey was completed in 1848 by John Jackson, one of Tampa's founding fathers, and surveyor of Tampa's town in that same year Note the extensive swamp lands, including land named Bay Gum Swamp, and the degree of lighter forestation, indicating likely more prairie type land. The notation of "black jack" likely refers to a clay based soil type.

This is a small section of land at the extreme SW corner of Hillsborough County. It sits at the county line with Manatee County, at this time, and has likely been changed through dredging.

This survey map details land at the mouth of the Little Manatee River and south. Gulf City, Cockroach Bay and barrier islands are shown. Note the extensive salt marshes and extensive tree markings indicating likely heavy forestation of this area south of the Little Manatee River.

In 1881 Hamilton Disston negotiated with the Internal Improvement Fund of Florida to purchase, outright from the State, four million acres of overflowed lands at 25 cents an acre. Some of that land was in South County. On page 15 of this deed, find specific references to the location in Townships 30 and 31. Almost all of Township 31S, Range 19E is included in the purchase, which encompasses lands north of Ruskin, east of Tampa Bay in what is today's Apollo Beach area.