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1918 Map of Cypress

Name: 1918 Topographic Map of Cypress
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1918
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1918

About this map

The settlement of Cypress serves as the focal point for this Harris County survey, situated where the Houston and Hempstead Road crosses the fertile drainage of Big Cypress Creek. This era in Southeast Texas reveals a landscape of ranching and early commerce, evidenced by the presence of Rams Ranch and the localized development at Houston Hot Wells. The map highlights a community-centric infrastructure, with rural education centers like the Big Cypress School and Brink School serving the surrounding homesteads.

Water management and transportation define the region's character, as several prominent waterways including Little Cypress Creek, Horsepen Creek, and Langham Creek thread through the prairie. Aside from the primary Hempstead thoroughfare, other early routes like Rose Hill Road and Central Road indicate the established network of county travel before the expansion of the modern Houston metropolitan area. Cultural landmarks such as the Cypress Gun Club further illustrate the early 20th-century social life in this part of Texas.