1920 Map of Genoa

About this map

Genoa and the surrounding coastal plains of southeast Texas appear at a pivotal moment of early 20th-century development, just as aviation and electric transit began to reshape the landscape. The Galveston Houston and Henderson railroad and the Galveston Houston Electric line run in parallel straight across the terrain, serving the small settlements of Olcott and Webster. This 1916 survey, published in cooperation with Harris County officials like W. H. Ward, captures the early footprint of Ellington Field shortly after its establishment, juxtaposed against the natural, meandering courses of Clear Creek and Turkey Creek. While much of the quadrangle is noted as a preliminary unsurveyed area, the detailed mapping of the southern bayous and the Friendswood Bridge provides a clear view of the regional connectivity before the modern expansion of Houston.