Then and Now: The River That Made Texas. Zoom in. Blend or Swipe to compare the 1890s Trinity River with today’s Dallas-Fort Worth.

About this map: The historic layer relies on original 1890s USGS topographic maps. Because 19th-century surveyors didn't have GPS, laying these old maps perfectly flat over a modern satellite view causes slight alignment quirks. You might notice some streets don't line up exactly, but the larger story—the total remaking of the Trinity River—is unmistakable. You can see this in the river channel straightened out and moved in downtown Dallas, the urban sprawl, and the reservoirs on its branches.