1951 Map of Trinidad West

About this map

Coal mining and rail commerce define the industrial landscape south of Trinidad in this detailed look at the 1950s. The concentration of mining activity is evident in the cluster of shafts and pits near Cokedale, including the Main Cokedale Mine and the East Cokedale Mine, while the southern reaches near Starkville feature the Starkville No 1 Coal Mine and Mc Laughlin Mine. These extraction sites were served by the heavy rail corridors of the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe and the Colorado and Wyoming railroads, which parallel the Purgatoire River. The map also captures the local social fabric of Las Animas County, from higher education at Trinidad State Jr College to the religious centers of Sacred Heart Church and St Josephs Church. Topographical landmarks like Simpsons Rest and the vast Picketwire Lake provide a clear sense of the rugged local geography surrounding the urban core of Trinidad and the nearby settlement of Jansen.