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1972 Map of Noelke NE

Name: 1972 Topographic Map of Noelke NE
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1987
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1987

About this map

Mertzon serves as the primary hub in this Irion County landscape, situated along the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad line. The terrain is defined by dry watercourses and seasonal drainage patterns, most notably Rock Pen Draw and Spring Creek, which reflect the arid ranching environment of West Texas. While the northern portion of the map shows concentrated activity near the tracks, the southern reaches toward Bolt are characterized by a network of ranch roads and scattered industrial markers.

Energy and resource extraction leave a clear footprint on the land, evidenced by numerous Oil Wells and a prominent Pipeline network crisscrossing the topography. The reliance on groundwater is mapped through distinct landmarks such as Flat Rock Windmill, North Windmill, and Lost Windmill. This 1970s survey, with later photorevisions, documents a transition period where traditional ranching infrastructure and mid-century petroleum development coexist across the Edwards Plateau.