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1933 Map of Guadalupe Peak

Name: 1933 Topographic Map of Guadalupe Peak
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1972
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1972

About this map

Guadalupe Peak and the surrounding high desert terrain dominate this 1933 survey of west Texas. The landscape is defined by the sharp transition from the Salt Lake flats of the Crow Flats to the massive limestone escarpment that includes El Capitan and Hunter Peak. Settlement at this time was sparse and centered on water sources, with isolated holdings like Williams Ranch, Pratt Lodge, and Frijole providing rare points of human habitation in a region of canyons and ridges.

Transit through this complex topography followed natural breaks, most notably through Guadalupe Pass. Evidence of earlier activity and cattle ranching is visible through labels like the Old PX Ranch and various backcountry tanks such as Coyote Peak Tank and Pinyon Tank. The map also captures the early aviation infrastructure of the era, noting an Airway Beacon positioned to guide flights across the mountain barrier.