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1955 Map of Smeltertown

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Smeltertown
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1962
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1962

About this map

The Rio Grande serves as a stark international and state boundary in the mid-1950s, separating El Paso and the high peaks of the Franklin Mountains from New Mexico and Chihuahua. The industrial character of the era is anchored by Smeltertown and Courchesne along the river, where the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad and Southern Pacific Railroad converge near the border.

Institutional and community landmarks are densely clustered in this corridor, including the University of Texas Western College and specialized facilities like the Department of Agriculture Experimental Station. Residential growth is visible at Coronado Hills and Buena Vista, while older local history is preserved at St Patricks Mission and La Guna Cem. The map illustrates a complex landscape where irrigation networks like the Main Lateral and Montoya Drain support agriculture right alongside military sites like Camp Zack White.