1964 Map of Plateau

About this map

Plateau serves as a small but vital hub in Culberson County, situated along the southern edge of the Texas and Pacific railroad during the mid-1960s. This arid landscape is defined by its water management, where numerous catchment basins such as Plateau Sandhill Tank, Plateau Tank, and Cockleburr Tank highlight the critical importance of water for ranching and transit in West Texas. The terrain is marked by seasonal drainages including Sacaton Draw and Michigan Draw, which cut through the high desert flats near the prominent rising of Cowper. Evidence of early industrial exploration and infrastructure is scattered across the sheet, from a remote Drill Hole in the northern reaches to a Gravel Pit near the railroad, reflecting a period when the region's economy relied heavily on both the rail line and the extraction of local materials.