1896 Map of Rio Grande

About this map

The Rio Grande defines the international boundary between United States Mexico and Texas Chihuahua in this late nineteenth-century survey, which documents the arid valley floor just before significant irrigation projects transformed the landscape. The geography is characterized by the meandering river and the critical path of the Southern Pacific R. R. (Galveston Harrisburg and San Antonio Div.), which served as the primary artery for trade and movement through El Paso County. Surveyed originally in 1891 and updated with data from the Reclamation Service, this sheet identifies early railroad-oriented settlements like Fabens, Tornillo, and Rio Grande. Genealogists and historians can use several precise elevation benchmarks, such as BM 3607 and BM 3570, to orient family property or historical landmarks within the sparsely populated desert terrain along the rail line.