1893 Map of Spanish Peaks

About this map

The East Spanish Peak and West Spanish Peak dominate the northwestern skyline of this 1889 survey, casting long shadows over the high plains of Las Animas County. Early settlement patterns follow the vital water sources of the Purgatoire River and the Apishapa River, where small communities like Madrid and Cordova emerged. Near the eastern edge, the burgeoning city of Trinidad serves as a critical regional hub, supported by the Denver Texas and Fort Worth Railroad which snakes through the canyonlands.