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1960 Map of Newsome

Name: 1960 Topographic Map of Newsome
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1975
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1975

About this map

The Louisiana & Arkansas (KCS) railroad tracks cut a diagonal path across this northeast Texas landscape, connecting small farming and industrial outposts at the dawn of the 1960s. The settlement of Newsome serves as a focal point near the Newsome Oil Field, while the surrounding Wood and Franklin County countryside is dotted with rural centers like Scroggins, Musgrove, and Westbrook. This period of documentation shows a transition from traditional agricultural life to a petroleum-influenced economy, evidenced by the scattered Gravel Pits and industrial activity near the rail line.

Community life centers on a dense network of country churches and family burial grounds, including Hepsibah Baptist Ch, Smyrna Ch, and the Clearwater Cem. The hydrology of the area is defined by numerous small waterways such as Briary Creek, Brushy Fork, and Lilly Creek that feed into Shiner Pond and Elwood Club Lake. The mapping also preserves specific local landmarks like Stivers Hill and the remote Morris Chapel crossroads, offering a clear view of the rural road network before modern consolidation.