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1959 Map of Bonus

Name: 1959 Topographic Map of Bonus
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1960
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1960

About this map

The winding Colorado River and the rural agricultural economy of the late 1950s define this portion of the Texas Gulf Coast. Spanning the boundary between Colorado and Wharton counties, the landscape is a network of small settlements and transit routes. The Gulf Colorado and Santa Fe railroad cuts across the northern terrain, connecting Matthews and Eldridge through Boedecker Junction. This era of development is marked by the presence of numerous pipelines crossing the river and several local industry markers like Gravel Pits.

Social centers for these farming communities are well-documented through several country churches and burial grounds, including Union Hill Cem and Elm Grove Ch. Near the settlement of Bonus, an Old Railroad Grade and Bonus Ch sit near the wandering course of Caney Creek. The map also captures local recreational and communal spaces such as Oakcrest Camp, providing a detailed look at the infrastructure of rural Texas just before the expansion of modern highway systems.