1955 Map of Smeltertown

About this map

Smeltertown and the northern outskirts of El Paso anchor this mid-century look at the international border zone where the Rio Grande separates Texas and New Mexico from Chihuahua, Mexico. The landscape is defined by the sharp transition from the irrigated valley floors of the Montoya Main Lateral to the rising slopes of the Franklin Mountains and Coronado Hills. This map documents a critical period of regional development, capturing the Sunland Park Racetrack and the Sunland Airport alongside long-established communities like Montoya and Courchesne.