1925 Map of Smithson Valley No. 1

About this map

The Guadalupe River carves a dramatic, winding course across this 1920s Texas landscape, creating prominent natural features like Demi John Bend and Cordova Bend. This area of Comal and Blanco counties reflects a rural Texas economy centered on local gathering points such as Fischer Store and Cranes Mill. The map documents a moment in time before large-scale regional development, when travel relied on routes like the New Braunfels Road and education was decentralized among community institutions like the Rebecca Creek School and Sour Creek School. The topography reveals the natural river hazards of the era, including Rust Falls and Rough Falls, alongside several smaller tributaries including Rebecca Creek and Schultz Creek. This survey, which utilized early aerial photography by the U.S. Army Air Service, provides a meticulous record of land use and settlement patterns along the river valley.