1952 Map of Mesquite Bay

About this map

Aransas National Wildlife Refuge dominates the western shore of this 1952 coastal survey, where the Blackjack Peninsula reaches into the complex waters of San Antonio Bay and Mesquite Bay. This landscape is defined by the shifting boundaries of land and water, featuring the Second Chain of Islands and the Third Chain of Islands which separate the larger bays from smaller inlets like Ayres Bay. The map documents early petroleum activity with scattered Gas Wells and an Oil Well near False Live Oak Point, while the Intracoastal Waterway cuts through the bays with a noted project depth of 12 feet. On Matagorda Island, the interior is a network of salt lakes including Big Brundrett Lake and Little Brundrett Lake, reflecting the wild, undeveloped character of the Texas Gulf coast before modern infrastructure.