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This cyanotype map of the Texas Gulf Coast oil region, compiled in the mid-1920s, illustrates the relationship between known fault lines and petroleum development from Matagorda County to the Louisiana border. Printed in white on a deep blue ground typical of blueprint processes, the map shows county boundaries, major rivers, rail lines, and coastal features, with oil fields marked as either producing or prospective.
The map reflects the state of Texas oil exploration a generation after the Spindletop discovery of 1901, during a period when geologic mapping had become central to identifying new reserves. Spindletop appears just south of Beaumont, alongside other significant early fields at Sour Lake, Batson, Humble, and Goose Creek. The map also includes fields farther southwest in Brazoria and Matagorda counties, such as West Columbia and Old Ocean, which proved that oil production extended well beyond the original salt dome trend of Jefferson County. By emphasizing fault lines, the map underscores the increasing use of structural geology in oil exploration, shifting the focus from surface seeps to deeper subsurface traps.
Cyanotype maps like this were commonly used in the petroleum industry for internal planning and promotion. They were quick and inexpensive to produce but highly susceptible to damage from sunlight and alkaline conditions. Few examples survive in good condition due to their practical use and chemical fragility.
![Geographique et Physique du Royaume de Nouvelle-Espagne [with quarto text:] Essai Politique de la Royaume de la Nouvelle-Espagne](https://storage.googleapis.com/raremaps/img/small/99796.jpg)
