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1897 Map of Valentine

Name: 1897 Topographic Map of Valentine
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1916
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1916

About this map

The high-altitude ranching and rail landscape of West Texas is documented here just before the turn of the century. The Southern Pacific R. R. cuts through the southwest corner, serving the station at Valentine, while the remainder of the terrain is defined by the massive peaks of the Davis Mountains. Prominent elevations like Sawtooth Mt. and Baldy Peak rise above a network of deep drainage systems, including Cherry Canyon and Madera Canyon.

This map is particularly valuable for genealogists and local historians tracking early settlement patterns, as it identifies numerous individual family holdings. Named outposts such as Prude's Ranch, Merrill's Ranch, and Evans Ranch are scattered throughout the foothills and canyon mouths. These labels provide a precise record of the pioneer ranching families who occupied the high desert and mountain gaps of Jeff Davis County during the 1890s.