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1919 Map of Chiricahua

Name: 1919 Topographic Map of Chiricahua
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1919
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1919

About this map

Coronado National Forest dominates this topographic survey, revealing the remote ranching and mining landscape of Cochise County during the late 1910s. The map documents numerous family homesteads and livestock operations, such as Hunsaker Ranch, Cox Ranch, and Staffords Ranch, scattered across the basin and range terrain. These small outposts were supported by a network of rural schoolhouses, including the Wilgus School and Hunt Canyon School, which served the isolated communities of the Chiricahua Mountains.

Industrial activity is anchored by the Cochise Mine and the vital corridor of the El Paso and Southwestern railroad, which provided the primary link to the outside world. The map also highlights significant geological and recreational features of the era, from the deep Crystal Cave and Natural Cave to the well-traveled Horseshoe Pass. The presence of the Portal Ranger Sta and Sunset Ranger Sta illustrates the early administrative presence of the Forest Service in this high-desert environment.