1925 Map of Tilden No. 1

About this map

Tilden serves as the focal point of this South Texas survey, situated at a strategic bend in the Frio River. The settlement layout shows a concentrated grid of streets during the mid-1920s, a period when McMullen County relied heavily on its riparian landscapes for ranching and transport. To the south, the prominent Kings Hills rise above the surrounding plains, providing a distinct topographical contrast to the low-lying drainage basins of King Branch and Leonsita Creek. This document is an advance sheet based in part on early aerial photography from the U.S. Army Air Service, capturing the brush country before modern irrigation and development altered the natural hydrological patterns of the Frio basin. The distribution of numerous bench marks across the quadrangle, such as BM PTr 50, indicates the intensive surveying efforts of the Board of Water Engineers during this era.