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1893 Map of Rock Springs

Name: 1893 Topographic Map of Rock Springs
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1903
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1903

About this map

Rock Springs serves as the primary hub in this late nineteenth-century portrait of the Edwards Plateau, situated near the headwaters of Hackberry Creek. The landscape is defined by an extensive network of family-operated livestock operations, including Stegalls Ranch, Wentworth Ranch, and Patterson Ranch, illustrating the transition of the West Texas frontier into a settled ranching economy. Water management is central to survival in this environment, evidenced by named features such as Eight Mile Water Hole and Ten Mile Water Hole along Live Oak Draw.

Topographically, the map details the rugged divide between the North Llano River and the South Llano River. A notable geological landmark, the Devils Sink Hole, is recorded in the southeast, while various limestone summits like Cedar Knob provide orientation across the Edwards, Sutton, and Kimble county lines. This 1891 survey captures the region just as permanent stone structures and fenced ranges began to replace the open cattle drives of earlier decades.