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1952 Map of La Parra Ranch

Name: 1952 Topographic Map of La Parra Ranch
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1977
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1977

About this map

The La Parra Ranch headquarters anchors this landscape of the Texas coastal plains, reflecting a mid-century period when cattle ranching and early petroleum extraction defined the region's economy. The terrain is marked by a complex network of artesian wells, such as Padre Alejos Artesian Well and Bordas Artesian Well, which provided essential water sources in an environment characterized by Shifting Sand Dunes and low-lying coastal flats near Baffin Bay.

Evidence of modernization appears through the numerous gas wells and the long Pipeline cutting across the northwest, while the Risken Lookout Tower stands as a distinct landmark on the horizon. The presence of features like Cabillos Well (Abandoned) suggests the shifting utility of groundwater sites as ranching operations evolved. This survey, based on 1949–1950 plane-table work with 1975 photorevisions, captures the intersection of traditional land use and industrial expansion in South Texas.