1948 Map of Tularosa

About this map

Tularosa serves as the primary hub of this high-desert landscape, situated where the Tularosa River emerges from the eastern mountains toward the sprawling basin floor. In the late 1940s, this region was undergoing a profound shift as traditional ranching life at places like Stover Ranch and Purday Ranch met the expanding footprint of the Cold War. Large swaths of the terrain are dedicated to the White Sands Proving Ground and the Alamogordo Bombing Range, with a notable scientific presence marked by the California Institute of Technology. The Southern Pacific railroad runs parallel to the highway, connecting the town to the broader world. Water remains the critical driver of settlement, evidenced by the numerous named wells and springs like Lomitas Spring and Berral Well that dot the arid flats near The Sands.