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1955 Map of Helms West Well

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Helms West Well
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1959
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1959

About this map

Hueco Mountains topography dominates this mid-century desert landscape in El Paso County, where survival was dictated by the strategic placement of water resources. The map documents a network of livestock tanks and catchment basins vital to ranching operations, such as Middle Tank, Dugout Tank, and Pow Wow Tank. These features are scattered across the high desert flats and within the shadows of prominent terrain features like Pow Wow Canyon and Martin Canyon.

Transportation and utility infrastructure in the 1950s show the area's role in regional connectivity, evidenced by a Landing Strip (Un Road) and a prominent Pipeline Aqueduct cutting across the survey. The eponymous Helms West Well serves as a primary landmark in the southern reaches, marking a site of groundwater extraction in a landscape defined by seasonal drainages like Fourmile Draw. The presence of an active Telephone line following the mountain pass reflects the mid-century modernization of this remote Texas terrain.