1962 Map of Melo

About this map

Windmills and ranching infrastructure define this corner of Goliad County in the early 1960s, where the Southern Pacific railroad cuts through a landscape of rolling coastal prairie. The small community of Melo and the nearby Melo Ranch serve as central points in a territory heavily shaped by water access, evidenced by the numerous named wells such as Spangle Windmill, Brahman Windmill, and the specialized Airfield Windmill. Family-named operations like Bissett Ranch and Clip Ranch illustrate the localized land ownership patterns of the era. To the south, the Sarco Cem remains a primary genealogical landmark near the banks of Sarco Creek. The map also captures the burgeoning energy industry of the Texas coast, with several Gas Wells and a major Pipeline traversing the drainages of Martinez Creek and Keys Hollow, highlighting the shift from traditional cattle ranching toward mineral extraction.