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1904 Map of Terlingua

Name: 1904 Topographic Map of Terlingua
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1904
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1904

About this map

Terlingua and the surrounding Chihuahuan Desert landscape are captured here during a pivotal era of mercury mining and ranching. This cooperative survey between the U.S. Geological Survey and the University of Texas Mineral Survey highlights the industrial activity of the period, specifically at the Colquitt-Tigner Mine and Mc Kinney-Parker Mine. The terrain is defined by the massive circular geological formation of the Solitario and the dramatic course of the Rio Grande, which carves the Grand Canyon of Santa Helena along the border with Mexico.

Local history is preserved through numerous family-named landmarks and water sources essential for survival in this arid environment, such as Howard's Ranch, Gourleys Ranch, and Comanche Spring. The map traces early transportation routes like the Telephone Trail and the Al Reed Trail, connecting scattered settlements like Study Butte and Terlingua Abaja before the establishment of Big Bend National Park.