1966 Map of Vat Camp

About this map

The Vat Camp outpost serves as a central reference point in this corner of Oldham County, where the High Plains drop into the breaks of the Canadian River. The landscape is defined by its water sources, essential for ranching operations in the mid-1960s. Named springs such as Chavez Spring and Dripping Springs are scattered throughout the canyon draws, while human-engineered solutions like the West Dam Windmill and Louis Windmill indicate the infrastructure required to sustain livestock away from the primary river. Tributaries like Trujillo Creek and Aqua de Piedra Creek carve through the plateau, creating a complex network of arroyos. This survey documents the era of extensive cattle ranching, showing the placement of windmills, tanks, and fence lines that shaped the local economy before modern irrigation transformed regional land use.