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1920 Map of Smithsons Valley

Name: 1920 Topographic Map of Smithsons Valley
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1920
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1920

About this map

The Guadalupe River snakes across this central Texas landscape, creating a series of dramatic turns including Demijohn Bend. In this era, the region was defined by a network of rural hubs and family-run operations such as Fischers Store, Engels Store, and Startz Store. River crossings were essential to the local economy, marked by locations like Specks Crossing and Remmlers Crossing. The map highlights the intersection of industry and daily life at Cranes Mill, which supported nearby homesteads and the Wesson P.O. mail route.

Upland from the river, the terrain rises toward the Twin Sister Mts. near the Blanco and Kendall County line. The presence of many private roads through cedar-covered sections suggests a landscape of large ranches and private holdings. Small rural settlements like Anhalt and Smithson's Valley serve as anchors for the scattered residents of the Hill Country before the modern development of the reservoir era.