1963 Map of Citrus City

About this map

Citrus City and the surrounding Rio Grande Valley landscape appear in this early 1960s survey as a highly organized network of citrus groves and petroleum extraction. The infrastructure of Hidalgo Water Dist No 16 is evident throughout the eastern half of the quadrangle, where a series of elevated irrigation canals support the agricultural grid. To the southwest, the terrain transitions into the industrial activity of the Tabasco Oil and Gas Field, marked by numerous well sites and pumping stations. Near the edge of the Rio Grande floodplain, La Joya Lake and La Joya Creek provide a natural contrast to the geometric patterns of the orchards. Small family operations like El Veleno Ranch and Santa Rita Ranch remain interspersed among the commercial developments, while several Quarries and Gravel Pits indicate local resource extraction near the river breaks.