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1893 Map of Mesa De Maya

Name: 1893 Topographic Map of Mesa De Maya
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1896
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1896

About this map

Troy and Indianapolis appear as small, isolated outposts in this 1890s survey of the high plains and canyonlands of southeastern Las Animas County. The landscape is dominated by the massive Mesa De Maya and a complex system of erosional features, including the deeply incised Chaquaqua Canyon and Potrero Canyon. These landforms dictate the early travel routes and settlement patterns, with roads following the drainage of Tinchera Creek and Chaquaqua Creek.

In the southwestern corner, the Denver Texas & Ft. Worth RR cuts across the terrain near Watervale, skirting the base of Chicorico Mesa as it approaches the Colorado New Mexico Boundary Line. The map illustrates the transition from the flat tablelands to the rugged breaks of the Purgatoire River valley, providing a detailed look at the geography before modern infrastructure reshaped the region's cattle and rail corridors.