1941 Map of Desert

About this map

The Southern Pacific railroad cuts a diagonal line across this arid stretch of the New Mexico and Texas borderlands, anchoring a landscape defined by isolated ranching outposts and vital water catchments. Surveyed in 1941, the map documents the sparse settlement patterns of the era, where the small station of Desert and the community of Alvarado serve as primary points of human activity along the rail line. To the east, the rising terrain of the Hueco Mountains creates a dramatic backdrop for scattered landmarks like Three Buttes and Davis Dome.