1959 Map of Aztec

About this map

The Animas River corridor dominates this late-1950s survey of northwestern New Mexico, tracing a vital lifeline of irrigation and transport through the San Juan Basin. The agricultural foundations of the region are clearly visible through an extensive network of gravity-fed waterways, including the Citizens Ditch, Farmers Ditch, and River Ditch, which support settlements like Riverside and Cedar Hill. This era captures the junction of traditional land use and mid-century industrial expansion, evidenced by numerous pipelines and gas wells scattered across the high mesas and deep canyons.