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1954 Map of Van Horn

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of Van Horn
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1977
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1977

About this map

The Guadalupe Mountains dominate this Trans-Pecos landscape, featuring the high point at Guadalupe Peak and the landmark El Capitan. This region is defined by its dramatic elevation changes and sparse settlement patterns, where vast basins like Crow Flats and Wildhorse Mesa are punctuated by steep ranges including the Sierra Diablo and Apache Mountains. To the south and west, the Rio Grande forms the international boundary with Chihuahua, Mexico, serving as a vital corridor for the Southern Pacific and Texas and Pacific railroads.

Local history is preserved in the location of Fort Quitman (Ruins) along the river and the presence of the Bonanza Mine in the mountainous interior. Key hubs like Van Horn, Sierra Blanca, and the irrigated farmlands around Dell City show the mid-century footprint of commerce in the High Desert. The map also captures the early decades of Guadalupe Mountains National Park, established in the years prior to this revision.