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1952 Map of La Joya

Name: 1952 Topographic Map of La Joya
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1986
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1986

About this map

The Rio Grande corridor in central New Mexico serves as the focal point for this mid-century survey, revealing a landscape defined by irrigation and transportation. The settlement of La Joya and the nearby La Joya (Siding) are oriented along the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad, which parallels the river valley. To the east, the vast Sevilleta Grant encompasses a network of arroyos and canyons, such as Palo Duro Canyon and Cibola Canyon, that drain the high desert towards the river.

Evidence of local ranching and land use is found in labels like the Diamond T Ranch and several windmills scattered across the arid terrain. Water management is prominent through features like the Lower San Juan Riverside Drain and a long Levee protecting the agricultural land near the Rio Salado confluence. Smaller locales like San Geronimo and Loma Parda provide further context for rural life in Socorro County during the 1950s.