1955 Map of Port Isabel

About this map

The coastal waters and barrier islands of South Texas define this mid-century survey, centered on the activity of Port Isabel. The map illustrates the town's maritime and industrial reliance during the mid-1950s, featuring the Port Isabel Turning Basin, an oil Refinery, and the Missouri Pacific railroad line termination. Significant infrastructure projects are visible, including the Queen Isabella Causeway stretching across the Laguna Madre to Padre Island. To the south, the landscape transitions into a series of distinctive coastal elevations known as lomas, such as Loma de la Banderita and Loma del Gato, scattered throughout the wetlands of Los Montes. The strategic importance of the Brazos Santiago Pass is highlighted by the US Coast Guard Station and Radio Beacon guarding the inlet between the shifting dunes of the barrier islands.