Texas Almanac, 1954-1955 Page: 138
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TEXAS ALMANAC-1954-1935
Physiographic Regions and Subregions.-(Continued.)and gas. cotton, wheat, grain sorghums, beef
cattle, dairyfng, poultry. Industries process-
ing oil, gas and agricultural products at sev-
eral larger cities.
Edwards Plateau.-Lies north and west of
the Balcones Escarpment and south and west
of the Colorado above Austin. Elevation, 700
to 2,500 feet. Draining in all directions, ex-
cept northwest, from its apex in Edwards
County, this is an area of thin limestone
soils. The interior portion of the Edwards
Plateau is usually rolling with some level
topography. As the streams approach the
Balcones Escarpment on south and east sides,
they cut into the earth, forming a broken,
mountainous country, with some deep can-
yons. This region in the area of Kerr and
Gillespie Counties is known as the Hill Coun-
try. Many streams, fed by innumerable
springs from the Edwards limestone, flow
across and from the edge of the plateau. Cy-
press trees are found along many of these
streams. Good cover, sparse settlement and
co-operation of landowners with game-enforce-
ment authorities have increased deer, wild
turkey and other game until this is now the
principal hunting ground of Texas. Products:
Sheep and wool, Angora goats and mohair,
beef cattle, limited feedstuffs, cedar timbers,
dairying, poultry. Oil and gas in northwest
part, and in Trans-Pecos extension.
- IV. TRANS-PECOS TEXAS.
While the whole of Texas west of the Pecos
River is usually grouped as a subregion, the
eastern part of it belongs, physiographically,
to the plains country east of the Pecos. The
central and western portions of the Trans-
Pecos are transversed by the eastern ranges
of the Rockies, which extend into Mexico as
the Sierra Oriental. There are five fairly
distinct subregions :
Stockton Plateau.-A Trans-Pecos exten-
sion of the Edwards Plateau, this area is a
rolling-to-broken plain extending eastward
from the Davis Mountains. Elevation 2,000
to 4,000 feet. Products: Oil, gas, cotton from
extensive new irrigated areas, feedstuffs, beef
cattle, sheep and wool.
Big Bend.-This is the area within the
southward swing of the Rio Grande below
Marfa and Alpine. Elevation of plateau from
Geology
The diversity of physical conditions and
natural resources, wherein the true greatness
of Texas lies, is based primarily upon the
diversity of its physical foundation-the geo-
logic structures beneath Texas' surface. From
the intricate geologic formations come all of
the variety of Texas conditions and resources,
except those contributed by the climatological
conditions above the surface.
Texas' great variety of soils has been pro-
duced by the weathering and erosion of the
great diversity of stone. The variety of min-
erals comes from the same diversity of geo-
logic conditions. The abundant fuel resources
of Texas-oil, gas, coal and lignite-came
from the marine life and the dense plant
growth that flourished alternately as ancient
Texas existed beneath the surface of the sea
and as dry land.
The folding, bending and faulting of strata
caused the oil to collect in pools and stand
until man's inventive genius sent drilling
tools down to release it for use. The salt
domes of the coast country-great pillars that
rise from unknown depths almost to the2,000 feet at Rio Grande to 5,000 in northern
part with mountains rising to more than 7,000
feet, the Chisos being principal range. Some
of the most striking terrain in Texas is found
in the Chisos and other mountains with Santa
Elena, Boquillas and other canyons along Rio
Grande. Yucca, lechuguilla, greasewood, oco-
tillo, cacti, guayule, candelilla and some
coarse grasses grow on plateau lands. Pine,
oak and junipers of Pacific' and Rocky
Mountain varieties in Chisos Mountains. The
Big Bend National Park includes more than
700,000 acres. Products: Beef cattle, sheep
and wool, production at times of quicksilver,
region's economy aided by tourist patronage
Davis Mountain Area.-This small region,
confined largely to Jeff Davis County, is one
of the three outstanding mountain areas of
the Trans-Pecos, the Chisos and Guadalupe
Mountains being the other two. Elevation of
plateau 4,000 to 5,000 feet, with mountains
rising to maximum of 8,382 feet in Mount
Livermore, second highest in Texas. Pine,
oak, other timbers in mountains. Cattle prin
cipal industry, this being center of Highland
Hereford cattle industry. Products: Beef cat-
tle, sheep and wool, income from tourist
trade.
Diablo Plateau or Bolson.-A high, plateau
basin without drainage to sea, between Gua-
dalupe and Hueco Mountains. Elevation 3,500
to 5,000 feet. Rait ouinfall 7 to 10 inches. Guada-
lupe Peak on east, 8,751 feet, highest in Texas.
Drainage into Salt Flats at foot of Guadalupe
Mountains. Hueco Tanks in Hueco Mountains
historic watering place. Sotol, lechuguilla,
cacti and other desert growth except in Gua-
dalupe Mountains where pine, oak, Douglas
fir and other forest trees of Rocky Mountain
varieties are found. Products: Beef cattle,
sheep and wool; small production copper and
other metals at times.
Upper Rio Grande Valley.-Tip of Texas
lying west of Hueco Mountains. Elevation
3,500 to 4,000 feet with mountains rising to
more than 7,000. Desert growth on uplands.
About 75,000 acres in Rio Grande Valley irri-
gated from Elephant Butte Dam in New
Mexico. Products: Cotton, feedstuffs, beef
cattle, dairy and poultry products; smelting
and other industries at El Paso.
of Texas
surface-have formed oil pools and also
brought near the surface deposits of sulphur
that make Texas one of the greatest sulphur-
producing areas of the world. The polyhalite
(potash-bearing ore) of West Texas was
formed in beds as the old Permian Sea
dried up.
A varied and highly valuable quantity of
igneous and sedimentary stone has been be-
queathed by the long succession of geologic
ages that have seen molten matter flow
through fissures in the earth's crust, and
stratum after stratum of sedimentary matter
deposited as the land emerged from the sea,
sank and rose again, and mountains were
thrust upward to be eroded to level plains.
Sand and porous stone strata sealed by clays
and hard stone are the reservoirs of Texas'
great underground water supply.
The geologic history of the present region
of Texas through millions of years has been
very largely a process of reversing physio-
graphic features. Plains are now spread where
towering mountains once reared their sum-
mits; mountains and high plateaus are found' TEXAS AND PACIFIC RAILWAY
Write Industrial Department, Dallas, for plant location information
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Texas Almanac, 1954-1955, book, 1953; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth117168/m1/140/: accessed April 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.