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1923 Map of Sierra Madera

Name: 1923 Topographic Map of Sierra Madera
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1949
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1949

About this map

Sierra Madera dominates this arid landscape, its distinct circular formation rising sharply above the surrounding desert floor. Surveyed in the early 1920s in cooperation with the University of Texas, the sheet captures a rugged expanse of Pecos County characterized by ephemeral drainage systems like Sixshooter Draw, Number Four Draw, and Ellis Draw. Human presence is sparse and concentrated at ranching outposts such as Elsinore Ranch and Tulley Ranch, indicating the vast grazing territories of the era.

Roadways on the map are primary transit corridors rather than local networks, labeled simply as routes To Fort Stockton, To Marathon, and To Sanderson. The terrain is marked by isolated landmarks like Round Mtn and a series of survey benchmarks, including BM 4236, which help define the elevation of this high plains environment. The map offers a clear look at the cattle-country geography of West Texas before modern infrastructure altered the landscape.