1927 Map of Bart

About this map

The Nueces River serves as the central artery of this South Texas landscape, carving a path through brush country and supporting a series of intermittent water bodies like Harris Lake and Joe Street Lake. Surveyed in the mid-1920s by C.W. Goodlove and others for the Board of Water Engineers, the map reveals a sparsely populated ranching economy defined by large family holdings. Notable among these are Cochina Ranch, Warnberger Ranch, and San Roque Ranch, which anchor the transport network. Roadways like the Kings Highway and Big Wells Road follow the natural contours of the land, connecting the river bottom to the arid uplands. The presence of features such as Sauce Mocho and McDonald Lake illustrates the critical importance of water management and drainage in a region where creeks like Espio Creek and San Roque Creek are often the only markers of reliable moisture.