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1959 Map of El Paso

Name: 1959 Topographic Map of El Paso
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1968
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1968

About this map

El Paso serves as the focal point of this regional study, which tracks the international border between the United States and Mexico and the extensive military presence during the late 1950s. The urban core and surrounding valley show the vital role of irrigation, with the Rio Grande feeding the Franklin Canal and Riverside Canal to support desert agriculture. To the northeast, the Fort Bliss Military Reservation and Biggs Air Force Base occupy a massive footprint, reflecting the area's strategic defense importance.

Westward, the terrain transitions into a series of distinctive volcanic and geological formations like Kilbourne Hole and the West Potrillo Mountains. Remote border crossings at Columbus and U S Customs near Las Palomas indicate the historically sparse settlement patterns of the high desert. Significant railroad infrastructure, including the Southern Pacific and Texas and Pacific lines, follows the river valley and the arid plains, linking the isolated station at Hermanas to the bustling hub of the pass.