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1950 Map of Three Rivers

Name: 1950 Topographic Map of Three Rivers
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1950
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1950

About this map

The Southern Pacific railroad corridor defines this high-desert landscape in Otero County, running north-to-south alongside the expansive White Sands Proving Grounds. At mid-century, the small settlement of Three Rivers serves as a vital point of activity near the Military Reservation Boundary, where the desert flats meet the rising slopes leading toward the Mescalero Indian Res. in the east.

Water management is central to life in this arid region, evidenced by the numerous windmills and named water sources like Aguilar Spring, Kitty Spring, and Chosa Tank. Ranching operations are well-established, with Falls Ranch and Hatchet Ranch positioned to utilize the intermittent drainage of the Three Rivers watercourse. The map captures a transition period for the Tularosa Basin, where traditional ranching life exists immediately adjacent to a significant military proving ground.