Houston: U.S. Geological Survey, 1956 [1968]

• Title: Houston
• Author: U.S. Geological Survey
  
• Date: 1956 [1968]
• Condition: Excellent
• Inches: 34 x 22 1/8 [Paper]
• Centimeters: 86.36 x 56.19 [Paper]
• Product ID: 308409

This highly detailed topographic and transportation overview of the Houston metropolitan area and surrounding southeastern Texas exemplifies mid-20^th-century cartographic standards. The scale is 1:250,000, providing a comprehensive regional perspective that encompasses the city of Houston, the Gulf of Mexico coastline, and adjacent urban centers such as Galveston.

Houston is prominently highlighted in yellow-orange on the map, indicating the dense urban core and its immediate suburbs, while other significant urban areas such as Galveston and Texas City are similarly marked for quick visual identification of population centers. A network of major highways, roads, and railroads is depicted in red and black, radiating from Houston and connecting to surrounding towns and cities; the map clearly delineates primary and secondary roadways, as well as rail lines, facilitating an understanding of regional connectivity. Extensive blue shading represents water bodies, with the Gulf of Mexico occupying the lower right quadrant, and bays such as Galveston Bay, Trinity Bay, and East Bay are labeled, with significant rivers and bayous traced throughout the region. Green shading indicates forested and vegetated areas, particularly to the north and west of Houston, and contour lines with subtle color gradations provide information on elevation changes and terrain, though the region is predominantly flat. The map also includes rural land divisions, smaller towns, and geographic features such as reservoirs, marshes, and islands, with boundaries for counties and selected municipalities marked for reference. In the margins, a legend explains symbols, a location diagram situates the map within the broader Western United States, and publication details are provided, along with a grid for latitude and longitude to aid in precise navigation and reference.

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.