1918 Map of Walnut Wells

About this map

Animas Mountains dominate the western half of this 1917–1918 survey, their sharp peaks like Gillespie Mtn giving way to the broad flats of the Animas Valley and the Playas Valley. The landscape is defined by its remote ranching outposts and early mining ventures in the high desert of Hidalgo County. The map documents the presence of several homesteads and operations including the Red Hill Mine and Gillespie Mine, reflecting a period of extraction and exploration. Water, the most precious resource here, is traced through named springs like Gillespie Spring and seasonal drainages such as Cottonwood Creek. The eastern portion of the map is dominated by the dry Playas and the basin of Playas Lake, while cattle ranching is evidenced by sites like Walnut Wells, Tullous Ranch, and Deatons Ranch. Much of the mountainous terrain falls within the Coronado National Forest, showing a land transition between protected forest and open valley.