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1943 Map of Corralitos Ranch

Name: 1943 Topographic Map of Corralitos Ranch
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1943
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1943

About this map

Ruins of Fort Mason sits near the center of this high-desert landscape, offering a window into the frontier military history of Doña Ana County during the early 1940s. The map reveals an intricate network of water management essential for ranching, dominated by the Corralitos Ranch and the Old LeFebre Ranch. Every few miles, the terrain is dotted with life-sustaining features like Mimms Well, Temple Well, and Coyote Tank, showing how the cattle industry adapted to the arid environment.

To the west, the Sierra De Las Uvas rises sharply, featuring landmarks like Magdalena Peak and The Saddle Mtn. The eastern reaches transition into the Sleeping Lady Hills and Rough And Ready Hills, where the drainage of Mason Draw and Foster Canyon carve through the basin. This survey documents a quiet ranching era before modern development, where isolated outposts like Adobe Ranch and Corralitos Side Camp were the primary marks of habitation.