1969 Map of Welch SW

About this map

Industrial infrastructure and the high plains terrain of the South Plains dominate this survey of the Gaines Co Dawson Co boundary. The Cedar Lake Oil Field defines much of the northwestern portion of the map, where a dense network of unimproved roads connects a multitude of extraction sites including the Gas Well and numerous Oil Wells. On the western edge, the brine-crusted basin of Cedar Lake provides a stark contrast to the surrounding agricultural and industrial landscape. The mapping reveals a land heavily utilized for resources during the late 1960s, evidenced by the proliferation of Drill Holes and a Substation serving the local energy grid. Small pockets of scrub or woodland dot the interior, though the primary focus of human activity remains the extraction of fossil fuels and the management of regional water resources in this arid environment.