1972 Map of Alta Vista Ranch

About this map

Alta Vista Ranch and several neighboring family-owned spreads define this section of Jim Hogg County during the early 1970s. The landscape is characterized by a sparse, ranching-based settlement pattern where water is the most critical resource. The sheer density of named windmills, such as Mala Suerte Windmill, Cinco de Mayo Windmill, and Posito Cerca Windmill, highlights the infrastructure required to sustain livestock in this semi-arid South Texas environment. Beyond agriculture, the map documents early industrial incursions into the brush country, with several Oil Wells and numerous exploratory Drill Holes scattered across the ranch lands. This 1972 survey also preserves the locations of established ranch headquarters, including Kaffie Ranch and Las Cuatas Ranch, which served as the primary hubs for local residents and genealogy researchers tracing South Texas land use.