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1955 Map of Chama

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Chama
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1980
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1980

About this map

The Denver and Rio Grande Western railroad tracks run along the Chama River and through the village of Chama, serving as a critical transport spine for this high-altitude landscape. In the mid-1950s, the area remained defined by its vast land grants and the topographic barriers of the Continental Divide and Stove Ridge. The map details the transition from the rugged northern peaks of Chromo Mountain down into the high mesas and canyons of the Tierra Amarilla Grant.

Local infrastructure is meticulously documented, from the High Sch and Chama Cem to the industrial presence of a Stockyard and a private Landing Strip (Private). The complex drainage system of the Rio Chama basin is evident through features like the Chamita River, Willow Creek, and the deep incisions of Cañonizaria Canyon, reflecting a landscape shaped by water and the legacy of early northern New Mexico ranching and settlement patterns.