1964 Map of Del Rio

About this map

The Rio Grande and Devils River carve deep relief through this mid-1960s borderland survey, converging just north of Del Rio. The landscape is a study in Cold War-era logistics and ranching isolation, anchored by Laughlin Air Force Base and the expansive rail network of the Southern Pacific. Before the creation of Amistad Reservoir, the river geography is dominated by Devils Lake and Lake Walk, two smaller impoundments that preceded the larger modern lake. To the west, the arid terrain is sparsely dotted with remote outposts like Pumpville and Shumla, while the eastern portion transitions toward the Nueces River valley near Barksdale. The presence of Asphalt Mountain and nearby mines at Blewett indicates the region's industrial extraction, contrasting with the military and transportation hubs that define the southern frontier near Brackettville.