1955 Map of Davies Tank

About this map

The Organ Mountains dominate the western edge of this mid-century survey, their steep slopes giving way to a landscape defined by strategic defense and desert water management. The vast White Sands Proving Ground and the Fort Bliss Military Reservation occupy the majority of the terrain, meeting at a prominent Military Reservation Boundary that bisects the central desert. For those researching the military's footprint in New Mexico during the Cold War era, the presence of the Condron Air Force Auxiliary Field provides a specific point of operational history. Scattered water sources such as Davies Tank, Gooding Well, and Globe Spring reveal how the arid basin was managed for range or remote outposts before and during the establishment of these restricted zones, while the small settlements of White Sands and Glendale mark the fringes of human habitation.