1935 Map of Padre Island No 1

About this map

Padre Island stretches in a narrow, uninterrupted band between the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the shallow expanse of the Laguna Madre in this mid-1930s survey of the South Texas coast. Compiled from aerial photographs by the Army Air Corps, the map captures the primitive state of the barrier island before significant modern development or causeway construction. The document highlights the work of Cameron County officials, including County Judge O.C. Dancy and County Engineer W.O. Washington, reflecting the local administration’s focus on mapping these coastal reaches. The survey serves as a clean record of the island's natural shoreline and the intricate, shifting western edge where the island meets the lagoon.