1954 Map of The Jetties

About this map

Old Fort San Jacinto stands at the strategic tip of Galveston Island, overlooking the critical maritime gateway where the Gulf of Mexico meets the protected waters of Bolivar Roads. This maritime survey, based on mid-century field checks with 1969 revisions, focuses on the massive engineering works designed to maintain deep-water access for the Port of Galveston. The North Jetty and South Jetty frame the primary shipping lanes, including the Inner Bar Channel and Outer Bar Channel. Along the shore, the map details the shifting sands of East Beach and the Tidal Flat near Big Reef. Navigation remains the central theme, evidenced by the Galveston Jetty Light and numerous offshore notations for wrecks and exposed masts that once posed hazards to the heavy traffic entering the Galveston City Limits from the open sea.