Loading map...

1959 Map of Van Lake

Name: 1959 Topographic Map of Van Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1982
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1982

About this map

The Van Oil Field dominates the western landscape of this Smith County survey, where a network of pipelines and industrial sites like the WT Filtration Plant intersect with a rural agricultural community. This area, updated with 1978 aerial data, captures the transition between intensive resource extraction and established East Texas settlements. Small communities and spiritual centers such as Jamestown, Garden Valley, and Union Chapel provide local orientation amidst a complex drainage system defined by Village Creek and the Sabine River along the northern border.

Water management is central to the terrain, evidenced by the eponymous Van Lake and its Spillway, alongside the sprawling Campbell Lake and Garden Lake. For those tracing local heritage, the map identifies specific landmarks like Wisdom Temple and a Historical Marker near the river, while the presence of a salt disposal well and scattered oil wells reflects the subterranean economy that shaped the region's mid-century development.