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1951 Map of Madrid

Name: 1951 Topographic Map of Madrid
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1953
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1953

About this map

Boncarbo and Primero stand as primary markers of industrial history in Las Animas County during the early 1950s, a period when the local landscape was heavily defined by the coal economy. The map reveals an extensive network of extractive operations, including the Eureka Mine, Viola Mine, and the sprawling Primero Mine North. This concentration of industry is mirrored by the social infrastructure of the day, where now-closed facilities like Middle Burro Canyon School and Midway School indicate shifts in local population centers.

Along the southern edge, the Purgatoire River — also labeled as the Picketwire River — flows through the Picketwire Valley, a name reflecting the local corruption of the original French 'Purgatoire'. The terrain is deeply incised by named drainages such as Reilly Canyon, Burro Canyon, and Mulligan Canyon, which served as the logistical corridors for the Colorado And Wyoming railroad line and various mining camps. Traces of early families and community life are preserved in labels for the Burro Canyon Cemetery and the San Juan Cemetery near the riverbanks.