2019 Map of Smithson Valley

About this map

Family legacies and rural burial grounds mark the landscape of this Texas Hill Country quadrangle, where the Smithson Valley Cem and Weidner Cem stand as physical anchors of local genealogy. The northern boundary is defined by the Guadalupe River and the southern reaches of Canyon Lake, while the interior terrain is shaped by the winding courses of Dry Comal Cr and its various forks. Settlement patterns are concentrated around Startzville and the community of Cranes, reflecting the transition from traditional ranching to more residential land use. The presence of numerous small, family-named cemeteries like Rust Cem, Simon Cem, and Kraft Cem suggests a deeply rooted history of private land ownership and multi-generational homesteads that preceded the modern road networks such as Smithson Valley Rd. Aviation history is also present at the Bear Creek Ranch Airport, located near the intersection of several seasonal watercourses.