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1943 Map of Virginia Point

Name: 1943 Topographic Map of Virginia Point
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1943
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1943

About this map

The industrial and maritime corridors of Galveston County take center stage in this mid-war study by the War Department and the Tennessee Valley Authority. Rapid development is evident in the rail-heavy landscape around Lamarque and Texas City, where the Texas City Terminal and Southern Pacific lines converge to feed the coastal ports. The map captures the vital transportation link at Virginia Point, where the Galveston Causeway bridges the gap between the mainland and Galveston Island.

Saltwater marshes and tidal flats dominate the low-lying terrain, with Highland Bayou and Basford Bayou meandering toward Jones Bay. The Intracoastal Waterway cuts through the coastal shallows, passing landmarks like North Deer Island and Wilson Point. This 1943 survey provides an essential view of the area's layout just years before the devastating 1947 explosion changed the Texas City waterfront forever.