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1952 Map of Panther Point NE

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

USGS Topo · Published 1953

About this map

The Matagorda Island Bombing and Gunnery Range occupies the narrow strip of coastal land shown here during the early 1950s, a period when this stretch of the Texas coast was heavily utilized for military training. Bordered by the Gulf of Mexico, the landscape of Matagorda Island is characterized by sand dunes and marshy depressions, including Power Lake.

A solitary Windmill stands on the island, hinting at the ranching history that predated and coexisted with the military presence. This topographic study, based on late 1940s aerial photography and 1952 ground surveys, captures the shoreline before later developments altered the barrier island profile. The map also indicates the proximity of Long Island and other coastal markers through parenthetical references, detailing the hydrography of these precarious maritime environments.