1963 Map of Hayrick Mountain

About this map

Hayrick Mountain and Rattlesnake Mountain anchor this high-plains landscape along the border of Howard, Sterling, and Mitchell Counties. Photogrammetric surveys from the early 1960s reveal a terrain defined by the search for water and energy, featuring an extensive network of named stock tanks like Dipping Vat Tank and Spring Tank alongside a developing Gas Field. The topography is dissected by seasonal drainages including Mustang Creek and Forest Creek, where the natural Rockwater Hole provided a reliable landmark in an otherwise arid region. Numerous family-named or property-specific windmills, such as Phillip Windmill and Coleman Windmill, indicate the intensive land management required for ranching in West Texas. A major Pipeline cuts through the southern reaches of the map, signaling the mid-century industrial shift overlaying traditional rangeland operations.