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1934 Map of La Coma

Name: 1934 Topographic Map of La Coma
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1934
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1934

About this map

Laguna Madre defines the eastern edge of this coastal landscape, where the shallow waters of the gulf meet a complex network of ancient distributary channels. In the early 1930s, this portion of Cameron County was characterized by these winding resacas, including Resaca de los Cuates and Resaca de la Gringa, which trace the abandoned paths of the Rio Grande across the flat coastal plain. These natural features provided essential drainage and intermittent water sources for early ranching operations like the La Coma Ranch.

The settlement pattern reflects the transition from isolated ranching to organized transport, with the Missouri Pacific railroad cutting across the southern reaches near Abney. Along the shoreline, Holly Beach and the promontory at Moranco Blanco show the interface between the mainland and the lagoon. Local infrastructure was managed by W. O. Washington, the County Engineer, while the Buena Vista Road served as a primary north-south artery connecting these remote outposts.