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1955 Map of Elwood

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Elwood
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1986
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1986

About this map

Tularosa Valley terrain dominates this mid-1950s survey of Otero County, where desert expanses meet the logistical infrastructure of the Cold War era. Much of the landscape is occupied by the Fort Bliss Military Reservation, marked by the Military Reservation Boundary that bisects the eastern portion of the sheet. The topographical survey highlights the subtle relief of the basin floor, rising only at Rattlesnake Hill in the northeast corner.

Transportation is defined by the Southern Pacific railroad line cutting through the desert landscape. For those researching railroad history or local operations, the map identifies specific track-side markers including the Elwood RR Semaphore and another R R Semaphore further south. These points represent the intersection of heavy transit and controlled military space during a period of significant regional activity.