1970 Map of Mooney Hills

About this map

Vigil Cem stands as a quiet focal point in this 1970 landscape of Las Animas County, where the southern plains rise into the distinctive formations of the Mooney Hills. The map details a sophisticated water management system critical to the high desert, featuring the prominent South Side Ditch and numerous seasonal drainages like Patton Arroyo and Frijole Creek. These waterways and arroyos define the terrain's character, illustrating the essential relationship between the land's natural contours and the human efforts to divert water for local use. Transport and logistics in this part of Colorado are represented by the Colorado and Southern line, which cuts through the southwestern corner, connecting this isolated ranching country to broader regional markets. The presence of several family-named landmarks and the local cemetery provides valuable geographic context for those researching the early settlement patterns of the Purgatoire River valley vicinity.