1965 Map of Flatonia NW

About this map

The Southern Pacific railroad and a developing highway network define this mid-1960s portrait of the Texas blackland prairies along the borders of Fayette and Gonzales counties. Near the small settlement of Armstrong, the landscape is a mix of agricultural pasture and scattered industrial activity, evidenced by numerous Oil Wells, Drill Holes, and a Claypit. This era of transition is visible in the placement of a modern Rest Area along the corridor, even as older rural landmarks like Mt Olive Cem and Cochran Cem anchor the surrounding family holdings. The geography is deeply carved by drainage systems like Peach Creek and Big Fivemile Creek, which flow toward the southern edge of the quadrangle near Russell Hill. For genealogists, the map is particularly valuable for its documentation of several family and community burial grounds, including the Andrews Chapel Cem and Castleman Cem.