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1948 Map of Desert
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1948 Map of Desert

USGS Topo · Published 1948

About this map

Fort Bliss Military Reservation dominates this 1940s landscape, illustrating the mid-century expansion of military land use in the high basin of the Tularosa Valley. The map focuses on the transit corridor through this arid terrain, anchored by the Southern Pacific railroad line which runs diagonally through the reservation. Small, isolated railway stops such as Desert and Alvarado serve as the primary points of human settlement, likely functioning as maintenance or water points for the locomotives. Geologic features like the Three Buttes rise from the valley floor, providing rare landmarks in an otherwise open expanse dotted with intermittent lakes and watering points like Alvarado Tank No 1. This planimetric study, revised from Army Air Force photography, captures the stark utility of the region just after the war.

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Map Details

Date Portrayed1948
Date Published1948
PublisherU.S. Geological Survey
Map TypeTopographic
Scale1:24,000
Physical Dimensions22 x 29.1 inches

Editions of this 1948 Desert Map

This is the sole edition of this map. No revisions or reprints were ever made.

Historical Maps of Alvarado Through Time

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Source Details

SourceU.S. Geological Survey
CopyrightPublic Domain