Crossroads of Empire:
Early Printed Maps of the American Southwest

The Southwest remained a land of mystery long after the rest of the continental United States had been surveyed and recorded on maps. Crossroads of Empire: Early Printed Maps of the American Southwest details the fascinating story of the discovery, exploration, and settlement of the area. This exhibition conveys the romance of maps, the legacy of mapmaking, and the profound influence of early mapmakers on our world today.
Gonzales Locations and Dates
March 14 - 22 Gonzales County Jail Museum ( “Old Jail”)
March 24 - April 4 Victoria College-Gonzales Campus April 7 - 11 Gonzales High School
April 12 -22 Riverside School Community Center

Crossroads of Empire: Early Printed Maps of the American Southwest features fourteen panels spanning the mapmaking enterprise from 1512 to 1873. It begins with the earliest known map to show the Texas edge of the Gulf and ends with an 1873 map of Texas showing the right-of-way granted to railroads.
  • Cabeza de Vaca in the desert
  • Maps from the 1500s
  • Early mapmaking techniques
  • Spanish explorers
  • California as an island
  • Plagiarism in maps
  • La Salle's fatal venture
  • Spanish missions
  • Early nineteenth century maps of the Southwest
  • Views of Texas territory
  • Maps for settlers
  • Railroads and Native American tribes
  • Map of the United States, 1854
Crossroads of Empire is brought to Gonzales by the Gonzales County Historical Commission in partnership with Thomas Shelton Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution through grants from Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities and the City of Gonzales, Tourism Advisory Committee.

Crossroads of Empire is an exhibition organized by the Amon Carter Museum and The University of Texas at Arlington Library, and produced by Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

For More Information Contact: chair@gonzaleschc.org / 512-924-5850