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1958 Map of La Junta

Name: 1958 Topographic Map of La Junta
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1958
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1958

About this map

The Arkansas River corridor and the high plains of Southeast Colorado define this mid-century landscape. Centered on the rail hub of La Junta, the map illustrates a region where water management through the Holbrook Canal and Otero Canal was essential for agriculture. To the south, the terrain shifts dramatically into the canyon-carved plateaus of Mesa De Maya and Chaquaqua Mesa, rising toward Carrizo Mountain.

Genealogists will find a wealth of specific landmarks across the rural expanse, including the Lycan Post Office and the isolated Minneapolis Cemetery. The infrastructure of the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe RR anchors the northern settlements, while the eastern border reveals small prairie communities like Walsh and Stonington near the Kansas state line. Traces of a Bomb target (abandoned) provide a fleeting reference to the era's military activity in the western reaches.