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1915 Map of Bellaire

Name: 1915 Topographic Map of Bellaire
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1915
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1915

About this map

Rice Institute and the western periphery of the City of Houston dominate this landscape during a period of early urban expansion. The survey captures Bellaire as a distinct emerging settlement, organized around a rigid street grid and served by the Bellaire Electric Boulevard. This era reflects a transition from rural agriculture to institutional and suburban development, evidenced by the presence of the Poor Farm and the Girls Industrial School located along the Richmond Road.

Drainage and transport dictate the region's character, with the meandering courses of Brays Bayou and Willow Water Hole Bayou cutting through the low-lying terrain. Significant rail infrastructure, including the San Antonio and Aransas Pass and the Great Northern, connects local points like Bellaire Siding and Pierce Junction to the broader Texas market. Local education is well-represented by several rural institutions such as the John Smith School and Brays Bayou School, marking the social centers of these early twentieth-century neighborhoods.