1905 Map of Chisos Mountains

About this map

The Chisos Mountains rise as the central focal point of this Brewster County landscape, surveyed at the dawn of the twentieth century. The terrain is marked by a network of isolated outposts and livestock operations including Stroud's Ranch, Solis Ranch, and Stillwell's Ranch, connected by rugged paths like the Straw House Trail. Along the sweeping southern bend of the Rio Grande, the map documents international border points and early industrial sites such as the Old Smelter and Lindsey's Mine. These features, along with specialized landmarks like Smallpox Spring and Reed Camp, illustrate the sparse but determined settlement pattern of the Trans-Pecos frontier during an era of mining and ranching expansion.