1963 Map of Bancos Mesa

About this map

Carson National Forest terrain dominates this 1963 survey of the New Mexico and Colorado borderlands, where the San Juan River cuts through the northeast corner. The landscape is defined by a series of high mesas, including Middle Mesa, Carracas Mesa, and Bancos Mesa, separated by a complex network of canyons such as Cottonwood Canyon and Cabresto Canyon. While the area lacks traditional towns, it reveals a pattern of mid-century resource extraction and land management. Numerous Gas Wells and Drill Holes are scattered across the canyons, particularly near Anselmo Bench. Water management for livestock or wildlife is evident through named catchments like Alamo Tank, Sanchez Tank, and Velasquez Spring, highlighting the essential infrastructure required in this arid environment before modern developments transformed the region.