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1972 Map of Santa Elena SE

Name: 1972 Topographic Map of Santa Elena SE
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1993
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1993

About this map

Vargas Creek winds through this arid South Texas landscape, defining a terrain shaped by ranching and energy extraction. Surveyed in the early 1970s, the map documents a sparse but vital network of water sources, from the Pita Windmill and Purisima Windmill to the Juarez Well and Registre Windmill. These named wells and windmills suggest a history of livestock grazing across large tracts of land, where every reliable water point was a critical landmark.

Industrial development is visible alongside these traditional rural features, marked by the presence of a Gas Plant and numerous locations labeled Oil Well or Gas Well. The convergence of Brooks and Starr county lines adds genealogical value for those tracing family property in the Brush Country. Other distinctive landmarks like the La Mesa Gem terrain and Agua Dulce Windmill provide a detailed look at this specific corner of the Rio Grande Valley hinterlands.