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1891 Map of Palo Pinto

Name: 1891 Topographic Map of Palo Pinto
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1891
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1891

About this map

The Brazos River carves a deeply serpentine path across this North Texas landscape, anchoring a region defined by its rugged topography and early industrial development. In the southern portion of the sheet, the Texas and Pacific Railroad links established settlements like Strawn and Gordon to the emerging industrial center at Coalville, where Coal Mines indicate the extractive economy of the late nineteenth century. The county seat at Palo Pinto sits centrally, while Mineral Wells appears to the east, already growing near the Parker County line.

Ferry crossings and natural landmarks provide a detailed record of late frontier travel, with Oaks Ferry and Brannons Ferry serving as critical transit points before modern bridge construction. Notable elevations like Mc Adams Peak and Turkey Peak dominate the skyline, while the transition between the rolling hills and river valleys is marked by features like Metcalf Gap. Small communities such as Cokeland, Whitt, and Salesville dot the northern reaches, documenting the settlement patterns of Jack and Palo Pinto counties just after the 1889 survey.