1949 Map of Whitewater

About this map

Whitewater serves as the primary rail hub on this southwest New Mexico landscape, situated at a junction where the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad meets an older, abandoned rail grade. This transition in infrastructure highlights a shifting economic pattern in the high desert at the end of the 1940s. The terrain is defined by complex drainage systems, including the San Vicente Arroyo and Hogback Draw, which flow around the prominent Hogback Mountain. The map also captures the local transit network via the White Signal Road and several smaller watercourses like Oak Grove Creek and Cherry Creek. Notable landmarks for water management in this arid environment include a Water Tank near the tracks and a Dam located along a tributary of White Cherry Creek, illustrating the critical role of water for both the railroad and the local landscape.