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1952 Map of St. Charles Bay SE

Name: 1952 Topographic Map of St. Charles Bay SE
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1977
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1977

About this map

Matagorda Island and San Jose Island meet at the narrow passage of Cedar Bayou, forming a dynamic coastal barrier system between the open Gulf of Mexico and the sheltered waters of Mesquite Bay. This 1952 survey, photorevised in the early 1970s, captures the delicate interface of the Aransas and Calhoun county lines amidst an environment defined by migrating sand dunes and extensive mud flats.

Human presence is sparse on this windswept stretch of the Texas coast, marked primarily by the Wynne Ranch and several scattered structures. The landscape is dotted with functional landmarks like an Oil Well and a Windmill, reflecting a mix of traditional ranching and early petroleum exploration. Further inland, the peninsula at Cedar Point and the complex tidal channels of Vinson Slough illustrate the intricate hydrology of the barrier islands before significant modern development altered these shores.