1948 Map of San Diego Mountain

About this map

San Diego Mountain rises above the eastern bank of the Rio Grande, anchoring a landscape defined by livestock research and desert ranching in the late 1940s. The map illustrates a region transitioning from rugged natural terrain into a managed agricultural laboratory, prominently featuring the Jornada Experimental Range and the New Mexico A & M College Animal Husbandry Ranch. The reliance on water management in this arid environment is evident through a network of isolated water points such as Open Diamond Tank No 1, Thorn Well, and Detroit Well. Transportation and early settlement are anchored by the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad, which follows the river corridor past Tonuco and south toward Radium Springs. Cultural markers like the A & M College Headquarters and the Real Ranch provide specific points of interest for those tracing the history of institutional and private land use in Doña Ana County.