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1945 Map of Tornillo

Name: 1945 Topographic Map of Tornillo
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1949
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1949

About this map

San Elizario Island dominates the Rio Grande valley in this mid-century survey, revealing a landscape defined by an intricate network of irrigation and drainage. The Rio Grande serves as the international boundary between the United States and Mexico, paralleled by essential water infrastructure like the Tornillo Canal, Main Drain, and Alamo Alto Canal. These systems enabled agriculture in the arid borderlands, supporting settlements such as Fabens, Tornillo, and Alamo Alto.

Transportation corridors follow the valley floor, with the Southern Pacific and Texas and Pacific railroads running northwest to southeast. The map identifies key frontier landmarks, including the Guadalupe Bridge and the U S Customs station, which represent the formal points of transit between Texas and Chihuahua. Smaller locales like Adobe Houses and Polvo reflect the localized settlement patterns of El Paso County during this era.