1918 Map of Indian Wells

About this map

Rio Grande waters define the southern reach of this West Texas territory, where the international border separates United States and Mexico along a deeply incised and winding riverbed. Surveyed during the First World War in cooperation with the War Department, the landscape is characterized by a complex network of arroyos and drainage systems, including San Francisco Creek and Washboard Creek, which cut through the limestone terrain. Isolated ranching outposts such as Garcia Ranch, Elders Ranch, and Stewart Ranch mark the few points of human habitation in this arid expanse. The map preserves the exact location of Indian Wells, a critical water source in a region where travel routes like Bullis Gap and Dryden Crossing dictated movement through the canyons. The distinct boundary between Terrell and Brewster Counties is clearly delineated as it traverses the high ground north of the river.