1956 Map of Saltillo Ranch

About this map

Saltillo Ranch and the Norias Headquarters King Ranch anchor this mid-century survey of the South Texas brush country. The landscape is defined by the transition from coastal waters to inland ranching operations, where life and industry depend entirely on subsurface water sources. A dense network of infrastructure including the Huisache Artesian Well, Salvador Windmill, and Conchas Wells supports livestock across the shifting terrain. To the east, the shallow waters of the Laguna Madre meet the shore at the Rincon Mesquite, dotted with features like the Calabazas Islands and the Tres Marias banks. The map records a self-contained ranching community, complete with the Norias School and a private Airstrip, illustrating the scale and isolation of these historic Texas holdings before modern development altered the remote coastal plains.