1973 Map of Dean Ranch

About this map

Tulk Oil Field dominates the central landscape of this western portion of Lea County, revealing an economy defined by petroleum extraction in the early 1970s. The land is marked by an extensive network of oil wells and numerous drill holes, indicating intensive exploration and production activity during this era. Amidst this industrial infrastructure, traditional cattle ranching persists at Dean Ranch and Good Ranch, which serve as the primary named residential anchors in an otherwise sparse high-plains environment. A single Gravel Pit and a web of pipelines further illustrate the specialized resource-based development of the region, where the flat terrain is crisscrossed by service roads supporting both the ranches and the oil industry.