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1954 Map of Hobbs

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of Hobbs
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1963
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1963

About this map

The High Plains and the Permian Basin converge in this mid-century survey, where the infrastructure of the burgeoning petroleum and potash industries is etched into the arid landscape. The Texas-New Mexico RR serves as a critical corridor through the region, connecting the major hubs of Hobbs, Andrews, and Lovington. Industrial development is prominently marked by the Sulphur and Potash Company and a large Potash Mine and Plant in the western reaches, indicating the intensive resource extraction that shaped local economies during this era.

Terrain features like the Mescalero Ridge and Mescalero Sands define the geography, while numerous natural depressions such as San Simon Swale, Red Lake, and the Big Sinks interrupt the broad expanses of the Querecho Plains. Small company towns and ranching outposts like Humble City, Buckeye, and Maljamar are scattered across the sheet, providing a detailed look at the settlement patterns that emerged before the further consolidation of the late 20th century.