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1916 Map of San Juan

Name: 1916 Topographic Map of San Juan
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1932
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1932

About this map

The Rio Grande carves a complex, winding boundary between the United States and Mexico in this early 20th-century survey of Hidalgo County. The landscape is defined by the legacy of the river's shifting path, visible in the numerous oxbow features like Sardinas Lake, Sardinas Resaca, and La Cruz Resaca. These natural formations contrast with the rigid grid of irrigation canals and early rail infrastructure that transformed the valley into a productive agricultural corridor.

Developing settlements follow the St Louis Brownsville and Mexico railroad line, including Mc Allen, Pharr, San Juan, and Donna. For local historians, the map preserves the location of the Valley View Plantation and the historic Military Road running parallel to the river. This era represents a significant transition as the valley shifted from river-oriented commerce toward a rail-connected interior economy.