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1972 Map of Nopal

Name: 1972 Topographic Map of Nopal
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1975
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1975

About this map

Southern Pacific rails cut a straight path across this high desert landscape of Presidio County, anchoring the small settlement at Nopal and the nearby Nopal Ranch. The terrain is defined by a complex network of ephemeral watercourses including Cuervo Draw, Colquitt Draw, and Long Draw, which drain toward the south and east. These drainages, along with man-made features like Catto Tank and W-Bar Tank, illustrate the vital importance of water management in this arid cattle-ranching country during the early 1970s.

On the western edge of the sheet, the outskirts of Marfa reveal recreational and civic developments such as the Marfa Municipal Golf Course and the Rodeo Ground. Scattered Gravel Pits and a prominent Radio Tower indicate the local infrastructure supporting the region. Elevations rise toward the northeast near Orphan Hill, while the rail siding at Gage marks another point of interest for those tracing the industrial and transportation history of the Trans-Pecos.