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1979 Map of Papalote

Name: 1979 Topographic Map of Papalote
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1979
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1979

About this map

Papalote and its precursor Old Papalote sit at the intersection of South Texas ranching country and the energy economy of the late 1970s. This survey, based on 1974 aerial photography, illustrates the dual settlement pattern along Papalote Creek, where the original townsite and the Old Papalote Cem reflect earlier generations of Bee County history. The landscape is defined by the winding course of the Aransas River, which serves as a county line, and the numerous drainages like Silver Creek and Blackjack Creek that feed into it.

Industrial activity is concentrated in the Papalote Oil Field, marked by a network of oil and gas wells. The Southern Pacific railroad cuts a diagonal line through the terrain, passing near a designated Picnic Area that hints at local community spaces during this era. The map provides an essential look at the transition from traditional settlement to a landscape increasingly dominated by resource extraction and modern transportation corridors.