1953 Map of Cheraw

About this map

Cheraw Lake and the town of Cheraw anchor this mid-century portrait of Otero County’s irrigated agricultural landscape. The region’s reliance on complex water management is evident in the sprawling network of the Fort Lyon Storage Canal and Holbrook Reservoir, which supported local industry including a Sugar Refinery near the Arkansas River. The influence of the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railway is prominent, serving a series of small sidings and communities like Orr, Randall, and Shelton. Near the southern bend of the river, the map details the suburban development of North La Junta and La Junta Gardens, while the La Junta Municipal Airport and La Junta Village occupy the higher ground to the east, illustrating the area's growth as both a transit hub and a farming center.