1948 Map of Lake Lucero

About this map

White Sands Proving Grounds dominates this 1940s landscape, illustrating a critical era of military expansion in the New Mexico desert. The sheet captures the intersection of federal land management, showing the White Sands National Monument boundary meeting the San Andres National Wildlife Refuge along the western edge. This area is defined by the harsh hydrology of Lake Lucero and the expansive Alkali Flat, where water is scarce and highly localized. Human presence is minimal and tied to the land's ranching history, evidenced by the Lucero Ranch and a nearby Windmill Water source. To the west, the San Andres Mountains rise sharply, with drainage features like Ash Canyon cutting through the topography. This survey provides a record of the region before further development of the proving grounds fundamentally altered access to these remote desert basins.