Loading map...

1961 Map of Buffalo Lake

Name: 1961 Topographic Map of Buffalo Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1985
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1985

About this map

Buffalo Lake and its surrounding wildlife refuge dominate the center of this Texas Panhandle landscape, where the waters of Tierra Blanca Creek cut a deep canyon through the High Plains. During the early 1960s, this area was a critical stopover for migratory birds within the Buffalo Lake National Wildlife Refuge. The map reveals a transition from the agricultural tablelands of Deaf Smith and Randall Counties to the complex drainage systems of the eastern edge.

Settlement patterns follow the Panhandle and Santa Fe railroad line, which connects the small communities of Umbarger and Dawn. Local history is preserved in landmarks such as St Mary Cem and the Jewell Sch. Large-scale cattle operations are evident through named properties like the Flying Mary Ranch and Happy Hereford Ranch, illustrating the region's enduring ranching economy. A network of straight section-line roads, including Bismark Road and Oregon Road, underscores the orderly grid of the High Plains survey system.