1897 Map of Eagle Mountain

About this map

Quitman Mountains dominate the western landscape of this Trans-Pecos region, where the high desert terrain falls away toward the winding Rio Grande. This 1896 survey by W.J. Lloyd and R.U. Goode, supervised by Henry Gannett, documents a frontier environment defined by its water sources and livestock outposts. The map records the United States Mexico border following the river's deep meanders, punctuated by the isolated Hot Spring along the banks. In the interior, the presence of Phinney's Ranch and the vital Eagle Spring near the foot of Eagle Mt. highlights the precarious nature of settlement in this arid corridor. The path of the Quitman Arroyo cuts through the center of the sheet, illustrating the natural drainage patterns that shaped travel and ranching before modern development altered the West Texas landscape.