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1995 Map of Magdalena

Name: 1995 Topographic Map of Magdalena
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1998
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1998

About this map

Magdalena and the nearby settlement of Kelly anchor this high-altitude landscape in the mid-1990s, where the western edge of the Magdalena Mountains meets the rolling high desert. The terrain is defined by extreme vertical relief, rising from the town center to prominent summits like Magdalena Peak and North Baldy. This area, largely contained within the Cibola National Forest, shows a complex history of resource extraction, with numerous mines, prospects, and tailings piles concentrated around the Kelly Gulch and Chihuahua Gulch drainages.

Water management is critical in this arid environment, evidenced by named features such as Agua Frio Spring, Shakespeare Spring, and Quail Tank. The map also traces the intricate network of deep-cut canyons, including Hop Canyon and Dark Canyon, which have historically dictated travel routes and settlement patterns in Socorro County. For genealogists and local historians, the location of the Cem near the village and the various family-named springs provide essential touchstones for tracing the heritage of this mining district.