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1960 Map of Blackwell Lake

Name: 1960 Topographic Map of Blackwell Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1987
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1987

About this map

Mustang Mott and the surrounding rural ranchlands of DeWitt County appear here in a landscape defined by creeks and long-established family holdings. The terrain is crisscrossed by watercourses like Fivemile Creek and Shiloh Creek, with the namesake Blackwell Lake situated near the center of the sheet. Notable local gathering points include the Mustang Mott Store and the Kubala Store, which served the dispersed population of working ranches including the Respondek Ranch and Villarreal Ranch.

Tracing the path of an Old Railroad Grade in the northeast, the map reveals the shifting transportation priorities of the mid-20th century. Rural life is anchored by landmarks like St John Ch and the Woods Cem near the Woods Ranch. These features, along with a remote Landing Strip at the Showa Ranch, highlight the self-contained nature of this Texas cattle country during the era of transition to modern ranching operations.