1973 Map of Paduca Breaks West

About this map

Battle-axe Ranch and scattered watering points like Sweetwater Windmill define the remote ranching and energy landscape along the border of Eddy, Lea, and Loving counties. Photographed in 1971 and field checked in 1973, this survey documents a high-desert environment where the industry of the Paduca Oil Field and North Mason Oil Field overlies the natural drainage of Bobcat Draw and Red Hills Draw. The terrain is marked by the Paduca Breaks and Red Hills, providing a detailed look at the infrastructure of the Permian Basin during a period of active exploration. Researchers can trace the network of secondary roads and a Landing Strip serving the petroleum fields, alongside isolated homesteads such as Ross Place and the critical water resource at East Tank.