1964 Map of El Paso

About this map

The El Paso and Ciudad Juarez metropolitan area serves as the central hub of this international survey, where the Rio Grande and Rio Bravo Del Norte define the boundary between the United States and Mexico. The landscape is characterized by a complex network of desert hydrology and volcanism, notably the Kilbourne Hole and Hunts Hole craters west of the city. To the north, the Fort Bliss Military Reservation dominates the terrain, while the Southern Pacific railroad follows the high desert floor past remote outposts like Strauss and Lanark. Industrial activity is marked by the Asarco Smeltertown near the river, while agricultural systems extend into the valley via the Franklin Canal and Tornillo Canal. South of the border, the vast endorheic basins of Laguna de Guzman and Laguna de Santa Maria collect drainage from the Rio de Casas Grandes, illustrating the natural connectivity of the Chihuahuan Desert regardless of political lines.