1996 Map of La Union

About this map

The Mesilla Valley defines the eastern half of this landscape, where a complex network of irrigation ditches and drains manages the flow of the Rio Grande. This agricultural system, featuring the Deck Lateral, La Union West Lateral, and Vinton Drain, supports the settlement of La Union and the expansive Refugio Colony Tract No 1. The map captures the meeting of desert and developed valley, with the western terrain rising toward the Mada area and the southern portion dominated by the Dona Ana County at Santa Teresa Airport and the community of Santa Teresa. Local institutional life is well-documented through the presence of the Gadsden High Sch, St Lukes Ch, and a local Cem, reflecting a established rural community structure at the turn of the 21st century.