1954 Map of Beaumont

About this map

Sam Houston National Forest and the dense pine woods of the Big Thicket dominate this mid-century portrait of Southeast Texas. The map illustrates a landscape transitioning from heavy timber production to a sprawling petroleum economy, evidenced by a dense network of drilling operations such as the Saratoga Oil Field, Batson Oil Field, and the Hull Oil Field. To the east, the Neches River feeds into the Dam B Reservoir, a critical water management feature of the era. The industrial and transit hub of Beaumont anchors the southeast corner, connected by major rail lines including the Southern Pacific and Santa Fe. This survey also documents institutional land use, showing the expansive Eastham State Prison Farm and Wynne State Prison Farm in the northwest, alongside the campus of Prairie View College.