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1965 Map of Spohn Ranch

Name: 1965 Topographic Map of Spohn Ranch
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1967
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1967

About this map

The South Texas ranching landscape of Webb County is defined by its water-management infrastructure in this mid-1960s survey. Named cattle operations such as Spohn Ranch and Kennedy Ranch occupy large tracts of land, where a network of earthen water features including La Euraca Tank, Las Tablas Tank, and Round Corner Tank sustain livestock in the arid brush country. The reliance on these tanks and windmills, such as Florida Windmill, illustrates the vital engineering required to maintain large-scale ranching away from permanent watercourses.

Evidence of early aviation and industrial activity is present through the Landing Strip near the western boundary and a solitary Gravel Pit near the center of the sheet. The ephemeral drainage of Arroyo Blanco meanders through the southern portion, while a lone Radio Tower stands as a vertical landmark on the horizon. This map provides a detailed look at the rural economy of the Texas borderlands before modern consolidation, preserving the locations of family-held ranch headquarters and their private infrastructure.