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1953 Map of Las Animas

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Las Animas
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1985
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1985

About this map

The confluence of the Arkansas River and the Purgatoire River dominates this mid-century topographical study of Bent County. The city of Las Animas is depicted with its grid-style street layout, including Nelson Park and the City and County Airport to the south. The landscape is defined by an extensive irrigation network, including the Consolidated Ditch and Fort Lyon Canal, which supported the valley's agricultural economy.

Of particular interest to historians is the Old Santa Fe Trail, shown passing through the region north of the river. The map identifies several significant institutional and cultural landmarks, such as the Fort Lyon Veterans Hospital near the John Martin Reservoir and the historic site of Boggsville. Other rural features like the Rixey School and Waveland reflect the area's early settlement patterns along the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad.