1893 Map of Las Animas

About this map

The confluence of the Arkansas River and the Purgatory River anchor this 1889 survey of southeastern Colorado, showing the primary settlement of Las Animas during a period of rapid railway expansion. The map illustrates the distinct paths of the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad hugging the southern river banks, while the Missouri Pacific Railroad cuts across the northern plains through Inman and Haswell. Beyond the river valleys, the landscape is defined by long drainage systems like Mustang Creek, Adobe Creek, and Horse Creek, which reveal the sparse but calculated settlement patterns of the era. To the east of the main town site, the historic military and medical grounds of Fort Lyon stand prominently along the river, marking a transition from frontier outpost to a more established regional center. Small whistle-stops and siding settlements like Arlington and Kilburn trace the early commercial corridors that linked this high-plains region to broader markets.