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1943 Map of Galveston

Name: 1943 Topographic Map of Galveston
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1952
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1952

About this map

Galveston stands as a heavily fortified and industrially significant port city in this mid-century survey. The map details a complex defensive network including Old Fort San Jacinto on the eastern tip of the island, Fort Travis on the Bolivar Peninsula, and Fort Crockett along the Gulf of Mexico shoreline. The city's status as a medical and administrative hub is evidenced by the University of Texas Medical College, Marine Hospital, and the Customs Bldg near the bustling waterfront.

Transportation infrastructure dominates the island's narrow profile, with the Galveston Houston and Henderson and Santa Fe Lines railroads converging at the Union Sta. North of the main city, the massive Pelican Island and its Pelican Spit military reservation overlook the Ship Channel. From the dense grid of the Strand to the Municipal Airport near Sydnor Bayou, the map captures the strategic intersection of rail, sea, and air transit at the height of the coastal defense era.