- Title: Houston and Vicinity
- Author: U.S. Geological Survey
- Date: 1957
- Condition: See description
- Inches: 62 1/2 x 49 [Image]
- Centimeters: 158.75 x 124.46 [Image]
- Product ID: 308490
This large-format, highly detailed topographic map of Houston presents a comprehensive view of metropolitan Houston and its surrounding areas during a period of rapid postwar growth. The map was meticulously compiled using 1:24,000 scale maps covering neighborhoods such as Jacinto City, Settegast, Houston Heights, Bellaire, Park Place, and Pasadena. It provides a scientific depiction of both natural and built landscapes, including representations of terrain contours, waterways, roads, railways, and major infrastructure.
The map delineates city boundaries, county lines, and major thoroughfares, capturing the expanding urban footprint of Houston in the 1950s. Industrial districts, key residential developments, and prominent public facilities are distinguishable, making the map both a valuable geographic reference and a historic document. Its topographic detail allows for the identification of elevation changes, floodplains, and other physical features—a reflection of the USGS’s commitment to portraying the landscape accurately for resource management, planning, and scientific study. This map gives a rare insight into the dynamic transformation of Houston at a pivotal moment in its history.
Houston in the 1950s
In the 1950s, Houston experienced rapid growth and modernization, fueled by postwar prosperity and suburban expansion. The city’s population surged as new neighborhoods and expressways developed, while key institutions like the Texas Medical Center and Hobby Airport expanded significantly. Industrial diversification and infrastructure improvements supported economic strength, guided in part by forward-looking leadership such as Mayor Roy Hofheinz. Despite challenges like water shortages and land subsidence, Houston emerged as a major metropolitan center, setting the stage for its rise as a global city in the decades to follow.
Background on Creator
Created by Congress on March 3, 1879, the USGS was originally dedicated to exploring the geology and mineral potential of western lands. The USGS revolutionized surveying. Before the USGS was formed, most mapping in the United States was done by military expeditions and several independent government surveys. Upon its creation, the USGS established a comprehensive approach to surveying and worked to classify public lands by examining their geological structure, mineral resources, and products. This scientific appraisal of land potential and mineral resources changed the way government approached surveying. It also encouraged conservation, economic expansion, and more efficient development across the nation.
The USGS has been making topographic maps of Texas since the 1880s. The early maps show roads, towns and settlements, and political boundaries, though the physical features are only generalized. Advances in the field of geology enabled scientists to determine the nature of the rocks and minerals that make up the earth and specify how they were formed. Additionally, scientists were better able to identify coal, oil, and gas resources and assess their potential for development.
Condition
Very good condition overall, with visible wear along the original fold lines and some light soiling. A closed margin tear, measuring 4 1/2 inches and extending into the upper corner of the margin, has been expertly repaired.