1887 Map of Coleman

About this map

The town of Coleman stands as a vital rail hub in Central Texas during the late nineteenth century, situated at the intersection of several overland wagon roads. The Gulf Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad cuts diagonally across the landscape, linking the county seat with Santa Anna and the small stop at Bangs. The presence of Camp Colorado north of Jim Ned Creek reflects the area's transition from a frontier outpost to an established agricultural and ranching district. Settlement is concentrated along the waterways, with small communities like Thrifty and Byrds Store appearing near Pecan Bayou. The terrain is defined by isolated elevations such as the Santa Anna Mountains and Speck Mountain, which provided natural landmarks for travelers before the expansion of the regional road network. This period shows the early development of Brown and Coleman counties when small trade centers like Cedarton and Trickham served rural farmsteads.