1972 Map of Cow Mountain

About this map

Santa Fe Trail (Cimarron Cutoff) crosses the southern portion of this Union County landscape, marking a historic artery of Western migration and commerce. In this high plains environment during the early 1970s, water management is the primary evidence of human activity and settlement. Numerous named landmarks such as Sintas Windmill, Bryson Windmill, and Marsellino Windmill are scattered across the terrain, serving as essential water sources for the cattle ranching operations that define the area's economy. The topography is dominated by the prominent elevation of Cow Mountain in the northeast, while the drainage of Gallegos Creek carves a path through the center. A small, isolated Cem (cemetery) located near the creek provides a poignant genealogical anchor for the families who worked these expansive ranch lands, where even small features like the Junk Windmill or Fire Windmill were important enough to be specifically recorded by surveyors.