1953 Map of Marsh

About this map

The high plains of the Texas Panhandle are defined here by the industrial footprint of the mid-century energy boom, centered on the Fain Compressor Sta. This 1953 field check reveals an environment where traditional ranching infrastructure, represented by numerous unnamed windmills, coexists with an intensifying network of gas extraction. The landscape is deeply incised by drainages such as Lahey Creek, John Ray Creek, and the prominent Big Canyon, which break the level terrain near the border of Moore and Potter counties. The central landmark of John Ray Butte overlooks a territory shaped by the F W & D Highway, while the settlement at Marsh serves as a small waypoint in this rural industrial corridor. Researchers will find a precise record of early 1950s resource development, including dozens of individual gas wells and the infrastructure required to move fuel from the fields.