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1893 Map of Las Animas

Name: 1893 Topographic Map of Las Animas
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1948
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1948

About this map

Las Animas serves as the central hub of this late nineteenth-century landscape, positioned at the critical junction where the Purgatoire River meets the Arkansas River. The settlement pattern is dictated by the arrival of the rails, with the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad following the river corridor while the Missouri Pacific Railroad cuts across the northern plains. To the east of the county seat, Fort Lyon stands along the riverbank, marking a significant site of early regional activity.

The topography transitions from the river valleys into the high plains of Bent, Otero, and Kiowa counties. This arid expanse is etched by seasonal drainage systems like Adobe Creek and Mustang Creek. Isolated stops and small settlements such as Arlington, Haswell, and Robinson dot the rail lines, representing the frontier economy and the vital importance of water access in the Colorado high plains before modern irrigation and development altered the character of the watershed.