Loading map...

1948 Map of Val Verde

Name: 1948 Topographic Map of Val Verde
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1954
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1954

About this map

Pedro Armendaris Grant lands dominate the western landscape of this mid-century survey, where the Rio Grande carves a fertile corridor through the high desert. The Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railway runs parallel to the river, serving small rail-stops and settlements like Tiffany and Pope Siding. To the east, the vast Lava fields and topographic features like Black Mesa and Little San Pasqual Mountain define the arid terrain.

Insights into early New Mexico ranching and resource management are visible through the network of remote outposts such as Bruton Ranch, Harriet Ranch Hdqrs, and numerous scattered wells. The presence of Ruins and the Bosque Del Apache National Wildlife Refuge indicates a transition from historic settlement to federal land management. Notable landmarks for local history include the Bat Caves and the remote Hard Luck Crossing, illustrating the challenges of navigating this segment of the Rio Grande valley.