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1956 Map of Laredo

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Laredo
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1979
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1979

About this map

Laredo serves as the focal point of this South Texas landscape, marking a vital international crossroads along the Mexico United States border. The 1970s revision captures a region defined by extensive ranchlands and a sophisticated transportation network, where the Texas Mexican RR and Missouri Pacific RR cut through the brush country to connect inland hubs like Hebbronville and Alice. The map reveals the early footprint of regional energy and water infrastructure, from the expansive Falcon Reservoir on the Rio Grande to the cluster of oil-field settlements including Oilton, Bruni, and Mirando City.

The eastern portion of the sheet transitions into the sandy plains and coastal prairies near Falfurrias and San Diego. Genealogists and historians can trace the specific path of U.S. 59 and Texas 359 as they link isolated stops like Aguilares and Realitos. The inclusion of Sand dunes and numerous creek systems, such as Palo Blanco Creek and Los Olmos Creek, provides a detailed view of the natural drainage and terrain that shaped the cattle and petroleum economies of Webb, Duval, and Jim Hogg counties.