1904 Map of Bastrop

About this map

The Colorado River winds through this Central Texas landscape, defining the character of the river-bottom lands and upland prairies before the modern era of water management. Surveyed in 1899, the map reveals a region dependent on both the river and the expanding rail networks. Transport across the water still relied on points like Nashs Ferry and Burleson Ferry, while the Houston and Texas Central RR and the Missouri Kansas and Texas RR facilitated the growth of towns like Elgin and Bastrop. Local industry is evidenced by a Coal Mine near Sayersville, and the agricultural foundations of the era are visible in the family-named landmarks of Hemphill Prairie and Crafts Prairie. Small rural settlements such as Pottstown Settlement and Mc Duff represent the decentralized community life that preceded the urbanization of the mid-20th century.