1955 Map of Port Isabel NW

About this map

Padre Island stretches as a narrow barrier between the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the shallow Laguna Madre. This mid-century survey, based on 1955 fieldwork with early 1980s updates, documents the emerging footprint of South Padre Island near the southern tip of the landform. The landscape is defined by vast expanses of Sand and Mud and shifting coastal dunes, with human intervention visible in the dredging of the Intracoastal Waterway Project Depth 12 Feet. Marine hazards and navigational aids are noted, including a Wreck off the gulf coast and a Light positioned near a Spoil Area in the lagoon. The map also identifies Andy Bowie Park, reflecting the early preservation of coastal space as the surrounding area transitioned from a wild barrier reef to a developed destination.