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1972 Map of Soldier Spring

Name: 1972 Topographic Map of Soldier Spring
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1975
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1975

About this map

Chalk Mountain and the deep incisions of Van Horn Creek dominate this high-desert landscape in the early 1970s. Located along the rugged border between Jeff Davis and Presidio counties, the terrain is defined by a network of drainage canyons and isolated water sources essential for cattle ranching. The map captures the infrastructure of the era, including the South Chiva Windmill and the remote Ninetysix Camp.

Evidence of earlier transit and resource management is visible through the Old Railroad Grade and numerous Jeep Trails that snake through Chalk Gap. In the southwest corner, the Rio Grande serves as the international boundary between Mexico and the United States, with seasonal watercourses like Vieja Canyon and Soldier Canyon carving through the high mesas toward the river valley. Landmarks such as Soldier Spring and Painted Spring highlight the critical role of natural seeps in this arid Chihuahuan Desert environment.