1956 Map of Maria Estella Well

About this map

Artesian wells and long ranch fences define this remote Kenedy County landscape, illustrating the critical infrastructure required for cattle operations in the South Texas coastal sand sheet during the mid-1950s. The presence of the Old Tajos Ranch Windmills and a network of named water sources, including the Maria Estella Artesian Well and Bailadora Artesian Well, highlights the reliance on groundwater in a region dominated by Shifting Sand Dunes. Along the eastern margin, the map documents the transition from these dunes into the Sand and Mud flats of the Laguna Madre. Scattered landforms such as the Calabazas Islands and Tres Marias Islands dot the shallow waters, while the Mesquite Rincon and Rincon Artesian Well mark the interface between the arid ranchland and the coastal lagoon.