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1952 Map of Pierce

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

USGS Topo · Published 1953

About this map

The settlement of Pierce serves as the focal point for this early 1950s study of Wharton County, situated along the Southern Pacific rail line. The landscape is defined by an extensive system of levees and man-made drainage, reflecting the heavy investment in land reclamation and agricultural engineering required for this coastal prairie region. A prominent Oil Field occupies the northwestern corner, indicating the industrial footprint of petroleum extraction alongside the traditional ranching and farming economy.

Water management is evident in the engineered paths of Jones Creek and Blue Creek, which wind through a grid of rural homesteads and windmills. Educational history is captured by the locations of the Blue Creek Sch and the already noted Tres Palacios Sch (Abandoned), offering a specific resource for genealogists tracing local families in the mid-century. From the Twin Basin to the banks of Tres Palacios Creek, the map details a transition toward organized irrigation and flood control during a period of significant rural development.