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1948 Map of El Paso

Name: 1948 Topographic Map of El Paso
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1948
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1948

About this map

Fort Bliss Military Reservation dominates the eastern half of this border landscape, showcasing an extensive network of barracks, airfields like Biggs Field, and specialized installations including a skeet range and Ordnance Igloo. The city's residential growth is visible in established neighborhoods such as Kern Place and Morningside, while the educational infrastructure is highlighted by Austin High School and several local primary schools. Along the river, Cordova Island remains a notable geographic anomaly before the final channelization of the Rio Grande.

Transportation corridors follow the terrain and the international boundary, with the Southern Pacific railroad cutting through the heart of the city toward the industrial outskirts of Alfalfa. To the west, the foothills of the Franklin Mountains rise sharply, with named peaks such as Ranger Peak and Crazycat Mountain overlooking the urban grid. This 1940s landscape captures the region's mid-century identity as both a strategic military hub and a growing desert metropolis.