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1972 Map of Houston West

Name: 1972 Topographic Map of Houston West
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1974
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1974

About this map

The Yalobusha River and its intricate network of tributaries, including Fourmile Creek and Mud Creek, define the rural landscape of Chickasaw County as it appeared in the early 1970s. The western outskirts of Houston serve as the primary hub, where the Houston Municipal Airport and Radio Towers (WCPC) stand alongside the Illinois Central Gulf railroad. This line, a critical artery for the regional economy, parallels several creeks and serves the local agriculture and timber interests of the era.

Scattered rural settlements and family-named landmarks provide significant detail for genealogists and local historians. Small communities like Thorn, Thelma, and Pyland are anchored by local spiritual centers such as Pearson Chapel, New Hope Ch, and Thorn Ch. The map captures the transition from the concentrated town center of Houston to the expansive drainage basins of the Pettigrew Creek and Lick Creek, documenting the placement of farms and structures before later 20th-century development.