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1965 Map of South Cowden Ranch

Name: 1965 Topographic Map of South Cowden Ranch
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1981
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1981

About this map

The Concho Bluff North terrain defines this section of the Permian Basin, where the arid landscape is dominated by the infrastructure of the petroleum industry and cattle ranching. Multiple oil fields, including the Moose and Virey areas, are crisscrossed by an extensive network of Pipeline and Aqueduct routes. The settlement pattern is characterized by scattered ranching outposts and specialized water sources, such as the South Cowden Ranch and Railway Ranch.

Genealogists and local historians will find a dense concentration of named windmills, which served as vital landmarks for navigation and livestock management. These include family-named sites like the East Williams Windmill, South Kelly Windmill, and the colorfully named Hillbilly Windmill. The presence of numerous Drill Hole locations and a Gravel Pit further illustrates the industrial character of this West Texas borderland where Ector, Midland, Crane, and Upton counties meet.