1888 Map of Bernalillo

About this map

Albuquerque serves as the focal point for this late 19th-century reconnaissance of the middle Rio Grande valley, anchored by the critical Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad corridor. The map highlights the traditional agricultural and community clusters that predate modern suburban sprawl, including Ranchos de Albuquerque, Atrisco, and Corales. To the north, the confluence of Jemez Creek and the river provides context for the established settlements of Bernalillo and Santa Ana. The contrast between the fertile river valley and the arid Western terrain is marked by the presence of San Francisco and San Ygnacio along the Rio Puerco drainage. This survey, conducted by R.H. Phillips and W.W. Davis, preserves the locations of early plazas and land grants such as Alameda and Sandia before the large-scale irrigation and drainage projects of the 20th century transformed the valley floor.