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1952 Map of Matagorda

Name: 1952 Topographic Map of Matagorda
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1977
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1977

About this map

The Colorado River delta dominates this coastal survey, where the town of Matagorda sits at the nexus of several vital shipping and transit corridors. By the early 1950s, the Intracoastal Waterway had been engineered across the landscape, cutting through Baxter Island and providing a protected passage for commercial vessels. The map shows the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad line terminating just north of the settlement, emphasizing the community's role as a regional transport hub where rail, river, and sea traffic met.

Along the coast, the Matagorda Peninsula buffers Matagorda Bay from the Gulf of Mexico, creating a complex network of brackish marshes and bayous like St. Marys Bayou. For genealogists, the Matagorda Cem and the specific street grid of the town provide localized detail, while the presence of a Pontoon Bridge and several gaging stations reflects the active management of this water-dependent economy.