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1985 Map of Van Horn

Name: 1985 Topographic Map of Van Horn
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1985
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1985

About this map

Van Horn serves as the primary hub of this West Texas landscape, situated at the junction of major travel routes and the Southern Pacific railroad. The geography is defined by a series of prominent ranges including the Sierra Diablo, the Apache Mountains, and the Wylie Mountains, which rise sharply from the arid floor of the Salt Basin. A complex network of ephemeral drainages like Wild Horse Creek and Sacaton Draw indicates the region's hydraulic character, where water flow is rare but impactful.

Smaller settlements and landmarks such as Kent and the Seven Heart Gap highlight the historical importance of mountain passes for transport. Surveyed in the mid-1980s, the map details the infrastructure supporting this remote area, from the County Airfield near the town center to various landing strips and radio towers scattered across the basin. These features, along with localized quarries and gravel pits, illustrate the intersection of ranching, mineral extraction, and high-desert transit.