Loading map...

1952 Map of Palacios NE

Name: 1952 Topographic Map of Palacios NE
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1953
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1953

About this map

The low-lying wetlands of Matagorda County meet the Matagorda Bay coastline in this early 1950s study. The landscape is dominated by complex water systems, including the long reaches of Robbins Slough and Little Robbins Slough, which drain toward the coast. Human modification of the terrain is evident in the extensive Levee networks protecting inland areas and the straight-cut path of the Intracoastal Waterway slicing through the marsh near Crab Lake and Freshwater Lake.

Evidence of shifting community life and industry appears in the northern corner with the Citrus Grove Sch (Abandoned), while the western portions of the sheet are marked by numerous Gas Wells. Coastal landforms such as Mad Island, Wild Cow Island, and McNabb Island define the transition between the freshwater sloughs and the salty waters of the bay. Numerous Flowing Wells and Windmills dot the interior, indicating the era's reliance on groundwater for agriculture and livestock in this coastal prairie.