1959 Map of Los Alamos

About this map

Los Alamos sits at the northern edge of this late 1950s survey, a concentrated settlement within the agricultural Los Alamos Valley. The map details a complex landscape of canyon and ridge topography, where the Purisima Hills and Santa Rita Hills are dissected by numerous drainage features such as Cañada de Santa Rosa and Drum Canyon Road. A network of unpaved infrastructure, including the Mail Road and various Jeep Trails, suggests a landscape primarily dedicated to ranching and resource management rather than dense residential development. To the south, the Santa Rita Valley is anchored by the Campbell settlement and the winding path of Santa Rita Road. This document illustrates the era's transition between traditional land grants and modern surveying, evidenced by the large-scale terrain labels like San Carlos De Jonata juxtaposed with precise bench marks and elevations.