1918 Map of Columbus

About this map

The border town of Columbus serves as the focal point of this 1917 military survey, situated just north of the United States Mexico Boundary Line. This era was defined by heightened activity along the international frontier, reflected here in the convergence of the Deming Road and the El Paso and Southwestern railroad. To the west, the Tres Hermanas Mountains dominate the horizon, with Rascon Ranch and Niggerhead Spring located at their base. The landscape is dotted with early 20th-century outposts and educational landmarks like Mayfield School and Sunnyside School, alongside water sources critical to desert survival such as Deans Well and Stiles Reservoir. Small settlements like Waterloo and Loma Vista illustrate the sparse but deliberate distribution of homesteads across Luna County's arid terrain before mid-century changes altered the region's ranching and rail infrastructure.