1979 Map of Belen

About this map

Rio Grande waters define the valley floor where historic communities like Los Lunas and Belen sit alongside the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe RR. This 1979 survey illustrates a landscape of stark contrasts, from the sprawling Isleta Indian Reservation and Kirtland Air Force Base in the north to the dense contours of the Cibola National Forest covering the Manzano Mountains. Significant late-century land developments are evident in the geometric grids of Rio Grande Estates and Meadow Lake, marking a period of suburban transition into the high desert. To the east, the terrain levels out into the expansive Mesa de los Jumanos, where smaller settlements like Mountainair and Willard serve as hubs for the surrounding ranching and transit corridors.