1896 Map of Shafter

About this map

The Chinati Mountains dominate the western landscape of this Trans-Pecos region, where mining operations and isolated ranching outposts defined the frontier economy at the close of the nineteenth century. Near the center of the survey, the silver-mining settlement of Shafter sits nestled in the hills, supported by the Ross Mine and several unnamed extraction sites. This survey, conducted by C.C. Bassett and C.B. Green in 1895, reveals a sparse network of roads connecting family-named headquarters such as Poole's Ranch, Cibolo Ranch, and Bishops Ranch. To the south, the Rio Grande serves as the international boundary, flanked by the border towns of Presidio and Ojinaga. The map captures the significant elevation changes from the Chinati Pk down to the river valley, illustrating the vital importance of water sources like Spencer Spring and the Rio Conchos in an arid environment.