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1983 Map of Alamosa

Name: 1983 Topographic Map of Alamosa
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1983
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1983

About this map

Alamosa serves as the focal point for this 1980s landscape, where the flat floor of the San Luis Valley meets the steep rise of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The Rio Grande and its many tributaries, including the Conejos River and Trinchera Creek, dictate the settlement patterns of traditional Hispanic plazas and agricultural centers like San Luis and San Pablo. Large-scale land management is evident through the Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge and the sprawling San Isabel National Forest.

A notable cartographic detail is the marking of the Beaubien and Miranda (Maxwell) Grant Boundary, a reminder of the region's complex Spanish and Mexican land grant history. The grid-like Subdivision Road Pattern etched across the sagebrush plains contrasts with the winding paths of the Denver and Rio Grande Western railroad. From the high peaks to the San Pedro Mesa, the map documents a territory defined by high-altitude ranching and historic crossroads.