1918 Map of Playas

About this map

Playas Lake dominates the central basin of this New Mexico quadrangle, a seasonal water body situated between the Animas Mountains to the west and the county line shared by Hidalgo and Grant counties. The landscape reflects the desert economy of the late 1910s, defined by isolated ranching outposts and the essential transit corridor of the El Paso and Southwestern railroad. This line provides a lifeline through the arid valley, connecting the small settlement at Playas and the rail stop at Antelope with the broader region. Further south, the map details the transition into higher elevations at Whitmure Pass, where the Whitmure Ranch sits at the foot of the mountains. This 1918 survey, published later in 1971, provides researchers with a precise record of the early infrastructure and property locations that preceded the later industrial developments in the valley.