1918 Map of Reagan Canyon

About this map

Rio Grande waters define the international border in this 1918 survey of the remote Big Bend region. The landscape is dominated by the steep drainage systems of Reagan Canyon and Big Canyon, which cut through the limestone terrain toward the river. Human presence is sparse but specific to the border economy and history of the era, marked by Horn's Ranch and a Wax Factory located near the riverbank. This factory likely processed candelilla wax, a common desert industry in this part of Brewster County. Movement through the difficult terrain is traced by the Old Seminole Trail, which skirts the edge of Las Vegas de los Ladrones. The map provides a precise look at the topography of the Texas-Coahuila border before the mid-century development of the surrounding national park lands.