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1918 Map of Walnut Wells

Name: 1918 Topographic Map of Walnut Wells
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1923
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1923

About this map

Animas Mountains dominate this survey of the New Mexico borderlands, dividing the high desert of the Animas Valley from the Playas Valley. The settlement pattern reflects a rugged ranching economy established around vital water sources, as seen at Walnut Wells and Old Walnut Wells on the eastern plains. Numerous family-named homesteads and livestock operations are mapped across the terrain, including Godfrey Ranch, O K Bar Ranch, and Lawhorns Ranch.

Industrial activity is evidenced by the Gillespie Mine and the Red Hill Mine (abandoned) near Ash Creek. The Western edge includes a portion of the Coronado National Forest, where steep canyons like Double Adobe Canyon and Park Canyon cut through the range. Higher elevations feature distinctive landmarks such as Gillespie Mtn and Center Pk, providing a clear record of early 20th-century land use in Hidalgo County.