1973 Map of Caudill Ranch

About this map

Mescalero Ridge (The Caprock) forms the primary geographical spine of this high desert landscape, marking a sharp topographic break that separates the lower plains from the elevated plateau. Situated along the boundary of Chaves Co and Lea Co, the map reveals an environment increasingly defined by energy extraction in the early 1970s. The Caprock Oil Field is a central feature of the eastern half of the sheet, characterized by a dense network of Oil Wells and an extensive Pipeline infrastructure. Near the center of the survey lies Caudill Ranch, a primary point of human settlement connected to the surrounding wilderness via a rugged Jeep Trail. The map documents a specific moment when traditional ranching land use began to coexist with industrial petroleum development in southeastern New Mexico.