1955 Map of La Union

About this map

Mesilla Valley irrigation patterns define this mid-century landscape along the Rio Grande, where an intricate network of water management features like the West Side Canal and Nemexas Drain support the local agricultural economy. The settlement of La Union serves as a central hub, accompanied by the Refugio Colony and the nascent development at Santa Teresa. This survey, based on 1954 aerial photography, shows the critical transition from the river bottom to the high desert mesas, marked by the Southern Pacific railroad line and the New Mexico Road.