1918 Map of Playas

About this map

Playas Lake dominates the central basin of this New Mexico landscape, appearing as a seasonal catchment at the foot of the Animas Mountains. The mapping, conducted by surveyors like A.L. Ackers and W.R. Chenoweth just before 1920, captures the early transportation and ranching footprint of the Playas Valley. The El Paso and Southwestern railroad cuts across the northern terrain, connecting the small settlement of Playas and the rail stop at Antelope. Southward, the influence of early cattle operations is evident through markers like Whitmire Ranch and Whitmire Pass, providing a clear look at how the region's geography dictated the placement of water sources and transit corridors between the mountain ranges and the ephemeral lake bed.