1963 Map of Amalia

About this map

Amalia and the smaller settlement of Ventero occupy a high-elevation valley during the early 1960s, framed by the massive landforms of the San Pedro Mesa and the Sangre De Cristo range. The local community is centered around the Santo Niño Ch and the Amalia Sch, illustrating a traditional New Mexican mountain village structure where life followed the courses of Costilla Creek and its many tributaries like Jarocito Creek and Ute Creek. The topography is crisscrossed by a network of unimproved roads and a Pack Trail, reflecting the livestock and resource-based economy of the Sangre de Cristo foothills. Evidence of local industry appears in several labeled Mine sites near Ballejos Creek, while a Gaging Sta downstream suggests the importance of water management in this arid but alpine environment.