1943 Map of Afton

About this map

The Rio Grande valley in the years following the start of World War II shows a landscape defined by ancestral land grants and complex irrigation networks. This area includes the Mesilla Civil Colony and Santo Tomas de Yturbide Colony, where a dense system of waterways like the Mesilla Ditch and West Side Canal supported agriculture. Away from the river, the arid high desert is marked by isolated outposts and livestock operations, including Norwood Ranch, Perry Ranch, and the Gardner North Well. The Southern Pacific railroad cuts a diagonal line across this open range, connecting the small settlement of Afton and the siding at Rutter. Local volcanic landmarks such as Santo Tomas Mtn and Little Black Mtn provide the few vertical interruptions in this expansive desert terrain.