Loading map...

1955 Map of Lewis Ranch

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Lewis Ranch
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1956
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1956

About this map

Horse Creek Reservoir (Timber Lake) dominates this high-plains landscape on the border of Otero and Bent Counties, serving as a vital hydrologic hub in the mid-1950s. The map illustrates a complex network of irrigation infrastructure essential for local ranching, including the Fort Lyon Storage Canal and the Supply Canal. These man-made arteries, along with the Horse Creek Inlet Ditch, highlight the era's intensive water management.

Specific homesteads such as Lewis Ranch and Inge Ranch are recorded, providing valuable data for genealogists tracing family land holdings during this period. The presence of an Abandoned Canal and Abandoned Ditch suggests shifting agricultural priorities or evolving water rights in this arid region. This survey captures a moment when the natural course of Horse Creek was heavily augmented by engineered systems to support the surrounding plains.