Every Lake
Lake Jackson
A lake that periodically vanishes through its own sinkhole, then refills
- 14 ft · first step
- 27 ft
- 41 ft
- 54 ft
- 68 ft
- 81 ft · bottom
About Lake Jackson
Lake Jackson sits in a shallow limestone basin just north of Tallahassee, and unlike most Florida lakes it has no natural surface outlet. Instead it drains underground through sinkholes in its bed, most notably one known as Porter Sink. Recorded drawdowns go back to the 1800s, with the lake emptying to mudflats and refilling over the following months in cycles documented in 1907, 1932, 1957, 1982, 1999, 2006, and 2012. Between drawdowns it spreads shallow and wide across Leon County, rimmed by cypress and hardwood swamp.
On its northeastern shore sits the Lake Jackson Mounds Archaeological State Park, six earthen mounds built by the Fort Walton culture as a ceremonial and political center roughly a thousand years ago. The surrounding shoreline today is mostly Tallahassee suburbs and unincorporated Leon County, with public access through Miller Landing and county boat ramps. The lake carries a long-running reputation among Florida bass anglers, having produced state-record largemouth catches, and it draws local tournament crews alongside waterfowl hunters who work its marshy edges after a drawdown thins the vegetation.
- 750 roads engraved around the shore, 9 of them labeled
- 6 depth layers, each step engraved with its depth in feet
- Compass rose, title block with coordinates, max depth and area; keyhole hanger on the back
Turn it in your hands
Live 3D of the actual cut files — drag to orbit, pinch to zoom. Every road you see is engraved on the real thing.
Viewer not showing? Open it full screen.
Lake Jackson depth chart, in wood
This is a Lake Jackson depth chart you can hang: 6 stacked layers of birch, each one a depth contour — 14 ft, 27 ft, 41 ft, 54 ft, 68 ft and deeper, down to the deepest hole at about 81 ft. The lake covers about 6.7 square miles, and 750 shore roads are engraved around it. The shape of the bottom is the real one from published soundings, so anglers recognise their drop-offs and points.
A Lake Jackson map for the wall — or a gift
Most of these go to a cabin wall, a lake house entry, or a home office; a lot are gifts — the family that has been on Lake Jackson for three generations, the retirement move, the first boat. The 12-inch is the desk-and-shelf size; the 24- and 30-inch boards read across a room. Add a line under the title and star your place on the shore, and it becomes the map of your Lake Jackson.
Lake Jackson map — the details
How big is the map?
Four sizes: 12, 17, 24 and 30 inches on the long side, from $149. Every size is cut from the same depth data of Lake Jackson; the bigger boards carry more shoreline roads and place names.
Is it made from real depth data?
Yes. Lake Jackson is cut layer by layer from published bathymetric soundings — each layer of birch is a depth contour, so the shape of the bottom is the real one, not decorative.
Can I add my own place on it?
Yes. At checkout you can add a line under the title (a family name, a cabin name, a year) and star the spot on the shore that matters to you.
How long does it take?
Made to order in Waterford, Pennsylvania and shipped in 7–10 days; shipping is free in the lower 48.
Can you make a lake that isn't listed?
Any lake in the United States — we hold depth data for 104,419 of them. Search for yours; if it isn't built yet we build it when you order.
- 6 depth layers down to 81 ft
- 6.7 square miles of water
- 750 shore roads engraved, 9 named
- Title block, compass rose and depth markers
- Birch plywood, keyhole hanger, made in Waterford, PA
