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1980 Map of Hovey

Name: 1980 Topographic Map of Hovey
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1980
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1980

About this map

Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad tracks slice across the high desert of the Trans-Pecos, anchoring the small settlement of Hovey at the junction with Hovey Road. This 1980 survey captures a landscape defined by the scarcity of water and the persistence of ranching, illustrated by the isolated Burnt House Creek Ranch and various livestock infrastructure like the Sulfur Windmill and Bull Waterhole. The rugged topography is punctuated by Gilliland Canyon and the evocatively named Robbers Roost to the south.

Evidence of local industry and transportation appears in scattered Gravel Pits and remote Landing Strips, which supported the vast grazing operations in this borderland between Pecos and Brewster Counties. The map preserves the exact locations of essential water sources like Perch Tank and Antelope Draw, which have historically dictated the placement of homesteads and travel routes through this arid terrain.