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1935 Map of Capitan Mountains

Name: 1935 Topographic Map of Capitan Mountains
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1971
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1971

About this map

Lincoln National Forest dominates the high country of this 1930s survey, defined by the towering Capitan Mountains and their many rugged drainages. The map reveals a remote ranching economy where isolated outposts like Merchant Ranch, Padilla Ranch, and Hinchley Ranch are connected by an intricate network of trails, including the Base Trail and Summit Trail. Water is the lifeblood of this landscape, evidenced by the numerous named sources such as Macho Spring, Koprian Springs, and the flow of Rio Bonito.

In the southwestern corner, the U S Marine Hospital Reservation stands as a notable institutional landmark. For local historians and genealogists, the placement of the Richardson Sch and the Lookout Block Ranger Sta provides insight into the early 20th-century civic and forestry infrastructure. From the high peaks of Capitan Peak to the lower elevation Arroyo del Macho, the sheet details a frontier landscape transitioning into managed federal land.