1961 Map of Lava

About this map

The Fra Cristobal Range dominates this portion of Sierra County, rising sharply from the eastern banks of the Rio Grande. In the northwest, the Elephant Butte Reservoir and its Conveyance Channel highlight the region's essential water management infrastructure. To the east, the terrain opens into a broad basin marked by the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad line, which parallels a major Pipeline through the desert flats. Small pockets of human activity are scattered across this arid landscape, including the settlement of Silver near Silver Canyon and the Lava Well Ranch located at an Indefinite Boundary. The map also details the extensive Pedro Armendaris No 33 land grant, showing how private ranching interests and early transit routes shaped the development of this volcanic and mountainous territory.