1971 Map of Ninaview

About this map

The borderlands of Bent and Las Animas Counties in the early 1970s are defined by the convergence of steep canyon topography and the ranching landscape. Ninaview serves as the primary settlement hub in this arid region, where the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad cuts across the northeastern corner near Ruxton Draw. The map reveals a community anchored by landmarks like the Pine Hill School and a network of named springs and creeks, such as Rule Creek and Smith Creek, which were essential for survival in the high plains. Distinctive geological formations dominate the southern portion of the sheet, including the curiously named Devils Rocking Chair, Eagle Cliff, and Round Mound. These features, along with scattered Gravel Pit sites and a Pipeline, illustrate a landscape where natural geology and industrial infrastructure coexist at the edge of the Colorado canyons.