About this piece
- Title: Houston
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Author: U.S. Geological Survey
- Date: 1975
- Condition: Excellent
- Inches: 33 x 26 3/8 [Paper]
- Centimeters: 83.82 x 66.99 [Paper]
- Product ID: 308410
This highly detailed topographic and geographic map of the Houston, Texas metropolitan area and its surrounding region exemplifies mid-20th-century cartographic standards. The map is part of the "Western United States" series, at a scale of 1:250,000, which means one unit on the map represents 250,000 of the same units on the ground. The map provides a comprehensive view of Houston and its vicinity, extending southeast to the Gulf of Mexico, and includes major cities, highways, bodies of water, and notable geographic features.
The map prominently marks the city of Houston at its center, with the extent of its urban sprawl clearly delineated, and includes surrounding towns and cities such as Galveston, Texas City, and Baytown. Major highways and roads, depicted in red, radiate outward from Houston and connect to neighboring areas, while railroads are also marked, illustrating the region’s transportation infrastructure. Significant bodies of water—including Trinity Bay, Galveston Bay, and the Gulf of Mexico—are featured, along with rivers, lakes, and smaller watercourses that highlight the area's hydrology. Green shading indicates forests or other vegetated regions, while white and light blue areas denote developed or open land and water, respectively; contour lines and elevation marks provide topographic information, though the Houston area remains generally flat. The coastline along the Gulf of Mexico is detailed, showing barrier islands, bays, estuaries, and marked shipping channels and harbors, which emphasize the importance of maritime activity in the region. The map’s margins contain a legend explaining symbols and color codes, a population inset for Los Angeles (likely a standard feature for the map series), and technical notes about map production and data sources. Additional elements include a scale bar and north arrow for orientation, as well as small inset maps in the lower right corner that offer additional context or zoomed-in views of specific areas.
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.
