Loading map...

1971 Map of Bedford Ranch

Name: 1971 Topographic Map of Bedford Ranch
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1974
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1974

About this map

Bedford Ranch and Flagg Ranch sit at the intersection of West Texas ranching and the booming energy industry of the early 1970s. The landscape is defined by extensive Shifting Sand dunes and an Indefinite Boundary marking the shifting terrain between Winkler, Andrews, and Ector counties. This survey captures a highly specialized industrial environment where oil extraction dominates the land use, specifically within the Goldsmith Oil Field and the And Ector Oil Field.

Functional infrastructure for both cattle and crude is evident through features like the Green Gate Windmill, the North Windmill, and a Substa. Navigation through this desert-like environment relied on a network of Jeep Trails and scattered Gravel Pits, while a small settlement or named location at Wyatt provided a human anchor amidst the pipelines and dunes. The map serves as a primary source for understanding the physical layout of the Permian Basin's oil operations during a period of significant regional production.