1953 Map of Truchas

About this map

Truchas and the high-altitude agricultural landscape of the Sangre de Cristo foothills are captured here during the mid-twentieth century. The complex system of Spanish land grants is visible through boundaries like the Nuestra Senora Del Rosario San Fernando Y Santiago and the Sebastian Martin grant. Settlements follow the life-giving waters of the Rio de Truchas and Rio Quemado, where narrow strips of cultivated land cling to the valley floors. In the southern portion of the map, the village of Cordova sits near the Rio Quemado, while the smaller communities of Vallecitos and Vallecitos de Abajo are positioned along the Cañada de en Medio. The landscape is etched with traditional water management features, including a persistent network of ditches that divert water to El Llano de Abeyta and other upland fields. This survey documents the transition into the Carson National Forest and Santa Fe National Forest, marked by the Borrego Ranger Cabin and various Jeep Trails used for forest management.