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1959 Map of Trinidad

Name: 1959 Topographic Map of Trinidad
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1959
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1959

About this map

The Sangre de Cristo Range anchors this mid-century survey, dividing the high desert floor of the San Luis Valley from the eastern plains. To the west, the landscape is defined by the massive dunes of Great Sand Dunes National Monument and the historic Luis Maria Baca Grant No 4. This era shows a dense network of early irrigation such as the San Luis Canal and Union Lateral Canal, supporting settlements like Alamosa, San Luis, and Manassa.

Eastern slopes transition into the San Isabel National Forest, where high summits like Blanca Peak and Culebra Peak overlook mountain schools including Wahatoya School and Trujillo Creek School. Significant transportation corridors are well-established, with the Denver and Rio Grande Western and Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroads serving the coal and ranching hubs of Trinidad and Walsenburg. An intriguing historical marker is the POW Camp (Abandoned) located near the railroad tracks north of Trinidad.