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1952 Map of Ashwood

Name: 1952 Topographic Map of Ashwood
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1953
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1953

About this map

Southern Pacific and Missouri Pacific railroad tracks cross the low-lying coastal plains of the Texas Gulf Coast, defining the industrial and social geometry of this landscape in the early 1950s. The region is dominated by the extraction economy of the Sugar Valley Oil Field and Old Ocean Oil Field, featuring a prominent Oil Refinery and clusters of oil tanks near the eastern boundary. This petroleum infrastructure is interspersed with rural settlements such as Ashwood and Allenhurst, alongside community anchors like Union Ch and Bethlehem Ch.

The terrain is a complex network of meandering waterways, including the sinuous Caney Creek and the sluggish Linnville Bayou. These natural features are frequently interrupted by man-made alterations such as a Spoil Bank and various canals. Genealogists will find interest in the Free System Cem near the western edge and the small Cem located within the oil fields, reflecting the localized family histories of Matagorda and Brazoria counties during this period of industrial expansion.