1893 Map of Las Vegas

About this map

The Las Vegas settlement serves as the primary hub of this 1889 survey, where the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad cuts through the high plains at the base of the mountains. To the north, Fort Union stands as a significant military and logistical outpost, linked to the surrounding valley by a network of early roads and watercourses like Sapello Creek and the Mora River. The map reveals a landscape defined by traditional Spanish-named settlements and plazas such as La Cueva, Golondrinos, and Peñasco Blanco, reflecting the complex cultural and agricultural history of San Miguel and Mora counties. This reconnaissance work captures the region just as the railroad was transforming local commerce, while older communities like Loma Parda and San Geronimo remained deeply tied to the seasonal flows of the Gallinas Creek and Tecolote Creek.