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1893 Map of Abajo

Name: 1893 Topographic Map of Abajo
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1931
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1931

About this map

Abajo Mts dominate this landscape of the Four Corners region, surveyed by Henry Gannett and the Hayden Surveys during the late nineteenth century. The settlement of Bluff City sits along the northern bank of the San Juan River, representing a remote outpost in San Juan County just above the Navajo Indian Reservation boundary. High peaks including Mt Linnaeus and Abajo Peak rise above a complex network of drainages such as Cottonwood Wash and Recapture Creek, illustrating the difficult terrain encountered by early travelers.

Historical movement through this territory is marked by the Old Spanish Trail crossing the northeast corner, while the presence of Hovenweap National Monument and Natural Bridges National Monument points to the area's deep archaeological significance. From the high ridges of Duckett Ridge to the broad Chinle Valley, this survey documents the transition from alpine heights to the arid canyon country before extensive modern development.