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1959 Map of McWhorter Mountain

Name: 1959 Topographic Map of McWhorter Mountain
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1960
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1960

About this map

Powell Sheep Camp sits in the high desert landscape of West Texas, providing a rare human marker in a region defined by its reliance on water management. This 1959 survey of the Mitchell and Sterling County border illustrates a sprawling network of ranching infrastructure, where named stock tanks are the primary landmarks across the arid terrain. The map captures the complex water distribution system essential for livestock, featuring numerous family-named and functional catchments such as Old Boatright Tank, Horse Pasture Tank, and Northwest Seamen Tank.

To the south, the topography rises sharply toward the prominent summit of McWhorter Mountain, which overlooks a significant landform known as The Gap. This area is crisscrossed by several private roads and trails that connect remote outposts like the sheep camp to the wider region. The abundance of named tanks, from Laughlin Tank to Antelope Tank, offers researchers a clear view of the ranching boundaries and water rights that shaped local land use in the mid-20th century.