1893 Map of Albuquerque

About this map

Albuquerque serves as the focal point of this late 19th-century reconnaissance, situated along the eastern bank of the Rio Grande during a period of rapid Western expansion. The map illustrates the early alignment of the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad, which follows the river valley and connects the main settlement to northern outposts like Bernalillo and Sandia. The landscape is defined by the contrast between the fertile valley floor, dotted with older Spanish-named settlements such as Alameda, Corales, and Ranchos de Albuquerque, and the high, arid desert plateaus to the west. Farther afield, the Rio Puerco and Jemez Creek provide essential water sources for more isolated locales like San Ygnacio and Santa Ana. This document provides a rare perspective of the territorial era before modern urbanization reshaped the valley's original layout and irrigation patterns.