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1971 Map of Colfax

Name: 1971 Topographic Map of Colfax
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1974
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1974

About this map

The historical Beaubien and Miranda Grant dominates this landscape of northeastern New Mexico, where the high plains meet the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The settlement of Colfax and the neighboring area of Maxwell are positioned along the critical transportation corridors that defined the region’s development. The Santa Fe Trail cuts across the northeastern corner, marking the enduring path of westward expansion, while the active tracks of the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad run parallel to an Old Railroad Grade, showing the evolution of industrial transit.

Water management is central to the terrain, evidenced by the large Laguna Madre and the Stubblefield Dam. These features, along with the Vermejo River and Van Bremmer Creek, illustrate how the arid landscape was adapted for ranching and agriculture through an intricate system of ditches and siphons. From the Cedar Hills to the deep incisions of Dry Arroyo, this 1971 survey records the intersection of ancient land grants and 20th-century infrastructure.