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1934 Map of Port Isabel

Name: 1934 Topographic Map of Port Isabel
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1934
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1934

About this map

Port Isabel serves as the focal point of this coastal survey, showcasing a landscape of barrier islands and tidal flats just years after its official incorporation. The town's grid is connected to the mainland via State No 100 and the Rio Grande Valley RR, which terminated near the water's edge to facilitate local trade. Eastward across the Laguna Madre, the narrow expanse of Padre Island features a hotel at Tarpon Beach and the Brazos Coast Guard Sta, guarding the crucial Brazos Santiago inlet.

The topography is defined by numerous lomas, or small coastal clay dunes, such as Loma de la Brea and Loma de la Banderita, rising above the surrounding Los Montes and marshy Corvinas. A notable piece of early infrastructure, the Plank Road, provides a primitive transit line across the sands of the barrier islands, while the presence of a Yacht Club and jetty system highlights the area's transition into a maritime and recreational hub.