1969 Map of San Miguel Ranch

About this map

San Miguel Creek defines the low-lying drainage of this South Texas landscape, where the boundary between Atascosa Co and Mc Mullen Co meets in a region of ranching and early mineral extraction. The 1969 field-checked survey highlights a terrain interconnected by numerous watercourses, including the substantial Lagunillas Creek and its southern tributaries like Prairie Creek and Indian Creek. Settlement is sparse, anchored by the namesake San Miguel Ranch and the small communities of Hindes and Lyons. The presence of a Gravel Pit and a north-south Pipeline suggests the creeping industrialization of the brush country, while the predominance of private roads indicates a landscape still dominated by large-scale landholdings. This survey captures a moment of transition for these border counties, documenting the physical reality of the land before modern agricultural and energy developments further altered the drainage patterns of Raccoon Creek and Macho Creek.