1923 Map of Hess Canyon

About this map

The Glass Mountains dominate this West Texas landscape, defined by a network of drainage systems like Gilliland Canyon and Burnt House Canyon that feed toward the southern plains. Surveyed in the early 1920s, the map reveals a remote ranching economy centered on isolated homesteads and family holdings. Significant landmarks such as Leonard Mtn and the Wolf Camp Hills provide vertical relief in an area primarily used for grazing. The distribution of properties, including the Kincaid-Taylor Ranch, Martin Ranch, and Youngblood Place, illustrates the large-scale land tenure typical of Brewster County. Primitive roads and trails connect these remote stations, with routes leading To Sanderson, To Fort Stockton, and To Marathon, tracing the essential transit paths for supplies and livestock in a pre-highway era.