Map of the Mesilla Valley, 1854

Content Description

Full-size photocopy of map "The Mesilla Valley surveyed under the direction of BVT Captain J Pope, Corps of Topographical Engineers, by Lieutenant K Garrard. 1st Dragoons, Assistant on Survey of a Route from Dona Ana, N.M. to Preston on the Red River, 1854." Item copied from the National Archives and Records Administration, RG 77, Records of the Office of the Chief of Engineers. Hdqrs. Map File: map: W23, No. 1 (manuscript, on paper). The map was created for and described in Pope's "Report of Exploration of a Route for the Pacific Railroad, near the Thirty-Second Parallel of North Latitude, from the Red River to the Rio Grande." The area was surveyed and sketched between January 16 and February 12, 1854 by Corps of Topographic Engineers survey party, under Pope's command. Map depicts Mesilla Valley from Dona Ana to Fort Fillmore and includes Las Cruces, Mesilla, Santo Tomas, Las Tortugas, Stevenson's (Stephenson) Smelting Works, Fletcher's, El Picacho, Robledo Mountains, and the course of the Rio Grande. Significantly, it shows the Bartlett - Conde initial point marking the U.S./Mexico boundary as it stood before the Gadsden Purchase, and the boundary line running west. Includes topographic features, roads, and statistics of the Mesilla and Dona Ana valleys, including town names, populations, dates of settlement, and principle agricultural products.

Acquisition Type

Gift

Provenance

Copied from National Archives. Note on back says "Received from Gen. George Ruhlen, June 1976."

Restrictions Apply

No