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1968 Map of Soda Lake NE

Name: 1968 Topographic Map of Soda Lake NE
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1971
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1971

About this map

Water and oil infrastructure define this arid landscape in the late 1960s, where three counties — Loving, Ward, and Winkler — meet. The arid terrain is crisscrossed by a network of Jeep Trails, providing access to critical water sources such as the Bachelor Windmill, China Windmill, and Windmill No 4. These landmarks were essential for cattle ranching in a region where an Indefinite Boundary reflects the shifting nature of the local surveys.

Industry is represented by the Little Joe Oil Field and various isolated Oil Wells, including a New Well located in the western portion of the quadrangle. Small-scale resource extraction is also evident at several locations marked Gravel Pit. The map captures a moment of transition where traditional ranching landmarks like Cattleguard Well exist alongside the expanding petroleum footprint of the Permian Basin.