- Title: HARRIS COUNTY TEXAS
- Author: Patrick Whitty, E.P. Nolls & Co.
- Date/Location: 1899/Philadelphia
- Condition: See description
- Inches: 23-1/8 x 17-3/8 [Image]
- Centimeters: 9.10 x 6.84 [Image]
- Product ID: 308354
Irreplaceable Promotional Map of Harris County, Texas
At the time this map was published, Houston was still a modest settlement along Buffalo Bayou. By depicting all of Harris County, however, the map captures the area that would eventually become the sprawling metropolis of today. Rendered at a scale of 6,000 varas per inch (with one vara equaling 33 1/3 inches), the map is especially valuable for its detailed illustration of property lines, landowners, and the extensive network of railroads converging on Houston-key factors that spurred the city’s rapid development. An inset map of the United States emphasizes Houston’s strategic location near the Gulf of Mexico and its vital rail connections to the rest of the country. Prominently featured at the bottom center, a statistical table underscores the map’s promotional intent, highlighting impressive figures such as the volume of cotton shipped through Houston, which was the city’s leading export before the oil industry boom in the early twentieth century.
In 1899, Harris County, Texas, was experiencing significant growth and transformation, anchored by its county seat, Houston. By the turn of the 20th century, Houston was emerging as a major commercial and transportation hub for the region, supported by the expansion of railroads and the development of new industries. The city’s population and infrastructure were steadily increasing, with the first city park opening in 1899, marking a milestone in public amenities and civic development.
The broader county was a patchwork of communities, farms, and emerging towns. Pasadena, for example, established its first independent school district in 1899, reflecting the growing emphasis on public education and community organization in the area. Other communities, such as La Porte and Deer Park, were developing rapidly thanks to land speculation, the arrival of railroads, and agricultural opportunities, particularly fruit and tobacco farming.
Harris County’s population was part of a larger state trend of rapid growth. According to the 1900 census, Texas had over three million residents, and Harris County was among the more populous counties, benefiting from migration and economic opportunity. The county’s landscape included established African American communities like Freedman’s Town in Houston’s Fourth Ward, which had grown throughout the 1880s and 1890s into an economic and cultural center for Black residents following emancipation. Overall, Harris County in 1899 was characterized by dynamic urban expansion in Houston, the rise of new towns and infrastructure, and a diverse, growing population shaped by both opportunity and the lingering legacies of the post-Civil War era.
Background on Creators
Patrick "P." Whitty was a prominent civil engineer and land surveyor in Houston during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He is recognized as Houston's longest-tenured City Surveyor of the 19th century, serving as City Engineer from 1875 to 1880 and again in 1886. Whitty played a significant role in shaping the city's infrastructure and urban landscape during a period of rapid growth and transformation.
E.P. Noll & Co. was a prominent map publishing firm based in Philadelphia, active during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The company is best known for producing detailed maps and atlases of American cities and regions, including several influential works related to Texas. Notably, E.P. Noll & Co. published promotional and land ownership maps of Houston and Harris County during a period of rapid growth and transformation for the region.
Rarity
Exceedingly Rare. Not held institutionally or recorded by OCLC.