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1956 Map of Estancia

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Estancia
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1968
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1968

About this map

Estancia and Moriarty anchor this high-plains landscape, situated along the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe rail corridor. The mid-century geography is defined by a transition from the wooded heights of the Chilili Grant Boundary in the west to the open flats and dry washes of the Estancia Valley. The map records a rural economy of scattered livestock operations such as Milbourn Ranch, Tijeras Ranch, and Goodner Ranch, alongside industrial markers like Carbon Dioxide Wells and several Gravel Pits.

Family history and early settlement patterns are visible through numerous small outposts and abandoned sites, including Old Chilili, Compton, and Witt. The drainage network, featuring Milbourn Draw and Arroyo Chinchonte, illustrates the arid terrain's reliance on localized water sources like Antelope Springs. From the Landing Field near Estancia to the remote Garland Cem, the map captures the physical layout of Torrance Co before modern highway expansion altered these interior New Mexico ranching communities.