File:Young-DeSilver Map of the State of Texas from the Latest Authorities 1856 (1859) UTA.jpg

English: Engraved by J. L. Hazzard.

Commercial mapmakers in the United States quickly incorporated information from U.S. government and state surveys. As they updated the maps in their atlases, their new maps also reflected the development of railroads, which in Texas, at least, began in earnest in the late 1850s. This small but finely detailed map, with a copyright of 1856, added new information up to 1859. Railroads shown "completed, in Part" include: the Buffalo Bayou, Brazos, and Colorado (Texas' first railroad, opened in 1853); the Texas Central; the Houston Tap; and the Galveston, Houston and Henderson, which also appears on the inset Map of Galveston Bay at lower left. Railroads shown "in Progress" include: the Mexican Gulf and Henderson; the San Antonio and Mexican Gulf; the Southern Pacific; the Washington County; and the Sabine and Galveston Bay. Also shown are the Galveston Bridge and Galveston Canal. The more familiar roads and trails on the map include "Capt. Marcy's Road from Ft. Smith to Dona Ana 960 m.", the Chihuahua or Connely's Trail (including Fort Leaton, established in 1850), the Upper Presidio Road, the Lower Presidio Road, and the Laredo Road. Exceptionally well depicted is the lengthy "Comanche War Trail" with an interesting note about the "Grand Indian Crossing" over the Rio Grande near Boquillas Canyon in the Big Bend area of Texas. The panhandle inset at upper left has the Fort Smith to Santa Fe trail marked as being 820 miles in length.