1948 Map of Newman NW

About this map

The Fort Bliss Military Reservation dominates this 1948 topographic study of the high desert terrain north of the Texas-New Mexico border. This military edition, later reprinted for civil use, reveals a landscape defined by arroyos and defensive topography, where the eastern slopes of the Organ Mountains descend into the plains. Scattered across this arid expanse are essential water features like Old Coe Lake, Scott Tank, and Pit Tank, which provided vital resources for both livestock and military operations in the pre-interstate era. The presence of an Abandoned Road cutting across the central grid suggests shifting transportation patterns as the military installation expanded and reorganized its boundaries. Isolated peaks such as Deer Hill and the Black Hills provide distinct navigational landmarks against the otherwise uniform desert floor.