1933 Map of The Jetties

About this map

The maritime gateway to the Texas coast is defined by massive engineering works in this early 1930s survey, conducted by the Department of the Interior and U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the County Commissioners Court. The map focuses on the critical navigation channel between the southern tip of Bolivar Peninsula and the eastern edge of Galveston Island. Two prominent stone breakwaters, the North Jetty and South Jetty, extend miles into the Gulf of Mexico to protect the harbor entrance. At the terminus of these structures stand the North Jetty LH and Galveston Jetty LH, serving as essential navigational aids for vessels entering the port. On the island, Jetty Road provides access to the shoreline at East Beach, illustrating the coastal infrastructure prior to mid-century development.