1896 Map of Nueces

About this map

The upper Nueces River basin and the dividing lines of Edwards, Kinney, and Uvalde counties are meticulously documented in this late 19th-century survey. The landscape is defined by the canyon-carving Nueces River and its numerous tributaries, including Pulliam Creek and Kickapoo Creek. While small settlements like Vance, Barksdale, and Montell serve as regional hubs, the map is primarily a record of early Texas ranching life. Dozens of named family outposts, such as the Ford and Holliday Ranch, Johnson Ranch, and Wheat and Luckys Ranch, are scattered across the hills, marking the progress of settlement before the era of modern development. Geographer A.H.Thompson and his team recorded specific natural landmarks essential to frontier survival, such as Black Water Hole and Kickapoo Spring, providing a clear view of the water-dependent economy of the 1890s Edwards Plateau.