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1955 Map of La Junta

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of La Junta
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1966
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1966

About this map

La Junta stands as a primary railroad hub at the northern edge of this high plains landscape, where the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe line follows the Arkansas River corridor. The geography transitions from irrigated valley lands near the Catlin Canal and Otero Canal into the dry, high-altitude cattle country of the south. Evidence of the early Cold War era appears near the western edge with a Bomb target (abandoned) located on the prairie.

The map reveals a network of small, scattered ranching communities and sidings like Bloom Siding and Ninaview, essential for moving livestock and supplies across Las Animas County and Baca County. Notable landmarks for local historians include the Minneapolis Cemetery and the Sunderland School, while the southern terrain is defined by prominent basalt-capped features like Mesa de Maya and Carrizo Mountain. These markers highlight the isolation of early settlements before the expansion of modern highways.