1972 Map of Isla

About this map

San Elizario Island dominates this international boundary landscape along the Rio Grande, where the river separates Texas from Chihuahua. The intricate network of irrigation and drainage features, including the Guadalupe Border Drain and Fabens Drain, illustrates the highly engineered agricultural system necessary for farming this river valley in the early 1970s. The settlement of Fabens serves as a local hub, anchored by the Southern Pacific railroad line and a Jr High Sch. Near the southern edge of the quadrangle, the Guadalupe Bridge provides a vital crossing point adjacent to the US Customs station. The geography here is defined by these water-management structures, like the Hansen Lateral and Island Drain, which weave between small homesteads and orchards on the alluvial plain. Genealogists may find value in the local Cemetery and the specific placement of gaging stations and sewage disposal facilities that reflect the community's infrastructure during this era.