1953 Map of Arroyo Del Agua

About this map

Arroyo del Agua sits at the confluence of the Rio Puerco and Poleo Creek, serving as a focal point for this 1950s New Mexico highland landscape. The settlement patterns follow the drainages and mesa tops, evidenced by the Mesa Poleo School and nearby Santa Teresa Church on the high ground of Mesa Poleo. This era shows a community deeply tied to the terrain of the Santa Fe National Forest, where a network of primitive routes and a Jeep Trail connect isolated features like Salitral Spring and the Mesa Pinabetal School. The map captures a moment when traditional land use is visible through family-named landmarks like Cañoncito de los Cordovas and Cañada Gurule, reflecting the Hispanic heritage and agricultural lifeways of northern Rio Arriba County before later modernization.