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1921 Map of Monument Spring

Name: 1921 Topographic Map of Monument Spring
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1946
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1946

About this map

Marathon and the surrounding high desert of Brewster County are defined here by a network of cattle ranches and historic springs. Surveyed shortly after World War I, the map details the critical infrastructure of the Trans-Pecos, including the Southern Pacific System and the Galveston Harrisburg and San Antonio railroad lines. These tracks connect small settlements like Lenox to the wider world, while isolated outposts such as Old Fort Pena Colorada hint at the region's earlier military history.

The landscape is dominated by the Del Norte Mountains to the west and the Payne Hills to the north. Essential water sources, including Monument Spring, Sunshine Springs, and Garden Springs, are clearly marked, illustrating how life in this arid climate centered on these rare perennial features. Significant ranching operations, such as the Decie Ranch, Skinner Ranch, and Combs Headquarters Ranch, show the extent of land usage during this era of Texas history.