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1985 Map of Taylor

Name: 1985 Topographic Map of Taylor
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1992
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1992

About this map

Taylor and its surrounding central Texas farming communities are shown during a period of steady industrial and infrastructure growth in the mid-1980s. The landscape is defined by the convergence of major transportation lines, including the Missouri Kansas Texas RR and the Pacific RR, which facilitated the region's agricultural and mining economy. To the east, the extensive Alcoa Mine and Alcoa Lake represent the significant lignite mining and industrial footprint near Rockdale.

Water management is central to this geography, anchored by the Granger Dam and the resulting Granger Lake along the San Gabriel River. The map reveals a dense network of smaller rural settlements such as Schwertner, Walburg, and Beyersville, often centered around road junctions and old rail sidings. From the higher ground at Hickman Knob to the fertile bottomlands of Brushy Creek, the map details the transition from rural townships to more developed municipal hubs served by the Taylor Municipal Airport.