1943 Map of Hermanas

About this map

The Chihuahuan Desert landscape near the international border is defined here by the transit corridor of the El Paso and Southwestern Road, which connects the small settlement of Hermanas to the wider region. This 1943 edition, based on earlier surveys by Glenn S. Smith and the War Department, shows a network of isolated homesteads and livestock operations typical of Luna County's ranching economy. Ranches like White House Ranch, Dogtown Ranch, and Simpson Ranch are situated near the prominent peaks of the Tres Hermanas Mountains and the Carrizalillo Hills. Vital water sources such as Carrizalillo Spring and the Hermanas Draw provided the necessary irrigation for survival in this arid territory, while the proximity to the United States Mexico boundary line influenced the early 20th-century development of the local infrastructure.