1893 Map of Abajo

About this map

Bluff City sits as the primary outpost on the San Juan River in this late nineteenth-century reconnaissance, marking a critical crossing point in the high desert of San Juan County. The landscape is dominated by the massive uplift of the Abajo Mts, where Mt Linnaeus and Abajo Peak rise above a complex network of drainage basins. The map illustrates a transitional era of western geography, documenting the Navajo Indian Res Line south of the river and the historic path of the Old Spanish Trail as it cuts across the northern plateaus. To the west, the prominent formation of Elk Ridge and the landmark peaks of Orejas del Oso overlook deep canyons carved by Butler Wash and Cottonwood Wash. This survey reflects the early efforts of the Hayden Surveys to document the expansive canyon country and its vital water sources, such as Recapture Creek and Montezuma Creek, which were essential for late-century settlement and navigation.