1953 Map of Las Animas

About this map

The Arkansas River and Purgatoire River converge in this mid-century survey of the high plains, revealing an irrigation-driven landscape at the junction of two major valleys. The city of Las Animas dominates the river fork, showing a structured grid south of the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad line. Southeast of the main town lies the important pioneer site of Boggsville, while to the northeast, the massive grounds of the Fort Lyon Veterans Hospital stand near the edge of the John Martin Reservoir. The map provides a rare combination of modern 1950s infrastructure, like the City and County Airport, alongside remnants of western history including the Old Santa Fe Trail and the small agricultural siding at Waveland. Extensive canal systems such as the Consolidated Ditch and Highland Canal illustrate the intensive effort to water the Picketwire Valley.