1918 Map of Big Hatchet Peak

About this map

Big Hatchet Peak dominates this arid landscape at the southwestern corner of New Mexico, where the Big Hatchet Mountains rise sharply between the Playas Valley and Hatchita Valley. Surveyed in 1917-1918, the map documents a sparse ranching economy dependent on reliable water sources like Las Cienegas Spring and Whitewater Wells. The map highlights a network of family-named outposts and windmills, including Lambert Ranch, Worthington Ranch, and Chaineys Ranch, many of which were connected by the primitive Hachita and Mexico Road. This infrastructure underscores the isolation of the borderlands during the early 20th century, where deep canyons such as Thompson Canyon and Sheridan Canyon provided the only breaks in the desert terrain. To the south, the map clearly delineates the United States Mexico international boundary, marking the transition into the Mexican state of Chihuahua.