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1973 Map of Port Arthur

Name: 1973 Topographic Map of Port Arthur
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1974
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1974

About this map

Port Arthur and its surrounding coastal industrial corridor define the western edge of this 1970s survey, showing a landscape shaped by the Neches River and the Sabine River. The region’s reliance on maritime trade and petroleum is evident in the sprawling oil and gas fields and the complex of jetties and lights, including the Southwest Pass Lighthouse, that guide traffic through the gulf inlets. Moving eastward, the industrial character yields to the massive wetlands of the Sabine National Wildlife Refuge and Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge, where a network of canals like Stark's Canal and the Intracoastal Waterway thread through the marsh.

Small settlements such as Hackberry and Cameron appear as isolated hubs amidst the ridges and lakes, connected by the Southern Pacific railroad and early highway systems. Farther east near Abbeville, the terrain transitions to a more fragmented landscape of islands and "cheniers"—oak-covered ridges—such as Pecan Island and Greens Pine Island. This map documents a period of significant coastal infrastructure, from the Coast Guard Station Texas Menhaden to the numerous locks, dams, and pumping stations managing the delicate water balance of the Gulf Coast.