1957 Map of Arch

About this map

Salt Lake and Little Salt Lake anchor the center of this 1957 survey of the High Plains borderlands, where the Portales Valley cuts across the state line between New Mexico and Texas. The landscape is defined by large-scale ranching operations and the infrastructure of the cattle industry, with named holdings such as Coldwater Ranch, Phillips Ranch, and Nickles Ranch dotting the terrain. The small community of Arch serves as a local hub near the center of the sheet, while numerous windmills and wells indicate the vital importance of groundwater in this arid environment.