1912 Map of Raton

About this map

Raton serves as the gateway between the high mesas of the Colorado border and the plains of New Mexico, dominated by the industrial infrastructure of the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad. This 1912 survey illustrates a landscape shaped by coal and transit, from the critical Raton Tunnel at the northern pass to the scattered mining and settlement nodes like Gardiner, Blossburg, and Yankee. The intricate topography of Bartlett Mesa and Johnson Mesa constrains development to the valleys, where the Scenic Highway and rail lines follow the path of Raton Creek. Local industry is evidenced by the Wagon Mine and the water systems of Lake Alice and the Reservoir near Sugarite. Genealogists may find value in tracing older landmarks like Clifton House and Otero, which reflect the early settlement patterns of Colfax County before the turn of the century.