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1957 Map of Arch Mesa

Name: 1957 Topographic Map of Arch Mesa
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1967
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1967

About this map

Laguna Indian Reservation and Canoncito Navajo Indian Reservation lands converge in this high-desert landscape, defined by a complex web of Spanish land grants and tribal boundaries. Large plateaus dominate the topography, most notably the central Arch Mesa and Herrera Mesa, which rise above a network of seasonal drainages such as Arroyo Piedra Lumbre and Arroyo de Zia. Evidence of ranching and early land use is scattered across the terrain, marked by isolated landmarks like Blackberry Windmill, Meyers Windmill, and the prominent Standing Rock formation.

The administrative history of the region is written directly onto the land, with the intersection of the Cebolleta Grant and the Paguate Purchase Grant. These overlapping jurisdictional lines, including the borders of Sandoval, Bernalillo, and Valencia counties, reflect the intricate legal layering common to New Mexico's territorial history. The map also records several unnamed ruins, suggesting a long history of human habitation amidst the mesas and cañadas.