1927 Map of Pearsall

About this map

Frio River drainage and the surrounding South Texas brush country are captured here during a unique surveying transition in the late 1920s. This sheet is notable for its use of early aerial photography compiled by the Army Air Corps to supplement traditional ground survey methods. The settlement of Derby serves as a lonely rail outpost along the International Great Northern railroad, which cuts a sharp line through the landscape. To the north and west, the map details a complex network of seasonal watercourses including Hondo Creek, Buck Creek, and the Leona River. A significant portion of the eastern quadrangle is labeled as a Preliminary Edition Unsurveyed Area, reflecting the frontier nature of topographic mapping in Frio County at this time.