1961 Map of Anna

About this map

The Southern Pacific railroad corridor dictates the settlement pattern of this Collin County landscape, connecting the towns of Anna and Melissa. In this 1961 field-checked survey, these agricultural communities are surrounded by a dense network of family and community landmarks, including Lair Cem, Coffman Cem, and Highland Cem. The terrain is deeply etched by the East Fork Trinity River and its numerous tributaries like Hurricane Creek and Throckmorton Creek, which created the drainage patterns that influenced early property lines and road placements such as Old Telephone Road. Local industry and education are represented by the Quarry and Gravel Pits near the eastern boundary, and the Independent Sch at Melissa. This map captures the area before the significant suburban expansion of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, showing a rural Texas economy still centered on the rails and the river forks.