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1940 Map of Capitan Mountains

Name: 1940 Topographic Map of Capitan Mountains
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1940
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1940

About this map

The Capitan Mountains rise sharply over Lincoln County, defining a landscape of isolated ranching outposts and government conservation efforts in the mid-1930s. This survey records a network of family-held properties such as the Merchant Ranch, Padilla Ranch, and Shoemaker Ranch scattered among the high ridges and deep canyons. The presence of the Lookout Block Ranger Sta and the Richardson Sch indicates the dual priorities of forestry management and rural education during this era.

Down in the river valleys, the U S Marine Hospital Reservation occupies a significant stretch of the Rio Bonito, while the Fox and Fur Lodge suggests the early 20th-century recreational and commercial wildlife interest in the high country. Numerous springs like Macho Spring and Kyle Harrison Spring provide the critical water sources necessary for sustaining the livestock operations and small settlements like Encinoso found at the base of West Capitan Mountain.