Page 16 - The Geology and Ore Deposits of Sierra County, New Mexico - Bulletin 10

PART I. GENERAL FEATURES
GEOGRAPHY
LOCATION
Sierra County is situated in the southwestern part of New Mexico. It is bounded on the east by the New Mexico Principal Meridian, and on the west the crest of the Black Range is the irregular boundary line. The north boundary line is the line between Tps. 9 and 10 S., while on the south the boundary line is the south line of T. 17 S., extending west from the New Mexico Principal Meridian to R. 4 W., thence south along this line to T. 19 S., thence west to the center of R. 8 W., where it connects with the western boundary of the county. The area of the County is approximately 3,118 square miles. It is bounded on the north by Socorro and Catron counties, on the east by Socorro County, on the south by Dona Ana and Luna counties, and on the west by Grant and Catron counties. The population in 1930 was 5,184.
CULTURE
The principal towns are Hillsboro, the county seat, with a population of 200, and Hot Springs with 1,300 inhabitants. Hot Springs, in the valley of the Rio Grande, is a thriving health resort and a distributing point for supplies to miners, ranchers and farmers in this section of the State. The nearest railroad point to Hot Springs is Engle, 26 miles east-northeast, a station on the Albuquerque-El Paso line of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railway. Lake Valley in the southern part of the county is the terminus of a branch line from the little station of Nutt in Luna County, on the Rincon-Deming-Silver City branch line of the Santa Fe, and is the distributing point for the south- western part of the county, including Hillsboro and Kingston.
The Elephant Butte dam across the Rio Grande northeast of Hot Springs has impounded the water of the Elephant Butte reservoir. This reservoir, when full, forms a lake 2 to 4 miles wide and 30 miles long, extending to the north beyond the north boundary of the county. At the reservoir one may enjoy excel- lent fishing, swimming, boating, and camping. Most of the lake and the bordering land have been set aside as a game refuge, where migratory birds may find a haven on their flights to and from the north. In the wide Rio Grande valley and along the small streams tributary to the river, quail and doves abound, while in the Black Range wild turkey, deer, and bear are hunted successfully. This latter area, indeed, constitutes one of the best game regions remaining in the United States.
There are few other towns within the county. Monticello in the northern part is a small farming community, and Fair- view' in the northwest part is in a cattle-raising area. Chloride,
The Fairview post office is now known as Winston.