1955 Map of Cimarron

About this map

Cimarron sits at the foot of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, where the high plains meet a series of deep, branching canyons. This mid-1950s survey detail reveals a transition from the ranching and agricultural lands of the W S Ranch and French Lake to the complex terrain of the Beaubien and Miranda Grant (Maxwell Grant). The landscape is defined by its drainage patterns, with the Vermejo River and Cimarron Creek carving paths through the foothills. A notable piece of industrial history is visible at Dawson, where the Old Railroad Grade and the Lauretta Mine mark the legacy of coal mining in the region. The map also traces established paths like the Vermejo Trail and Burns Trail, providing a clear view of how land use and transportation once relied on these natural corridors before the modern development of northern New Mexico.