1968 Map of Tesnus

About this map

Southern Pacific tracks cut through this high desert terrain in the late 1960s, linking the small rail siding of Tesnus with the broader Trans-Pecos region. The landscape is defined by its dramatic topographic relief, dominated by the massive Castle Mountain in the northeast and the series of summits known as Panther Peaks and Shely Peaks to the south. Between these heights, the land drops into the evocative Hells Half Acre, a complex of steep drainage and broken ground that illustrates the severe erosion patterns of the Chihuahuan Desert. Seasonal watercourses like China Draw, Maxon Creek, and Alamo Creek carve deep paths through the limestone, while the presence of Copeland Trap and isolated Spring sites point to the region's enduring history of ranching and resource management in a sparse environment.