1963 Map of Bell Mountain

About this map

Francisco Rascon Place and Ladders Ranch anchor this arid Sierra County landscape, where survival is dictated by an intricate network of water management. The terrain is defined by high plateaus including Johnson Mesa, Miller Mesa, and Myers Mesa, separated by deep canyons and the prominent Bell Mountain. Named water sources like Bodine Spring, Higgins Well, and Warm Spring reveal the essential infrastructure required for ranching in the Salado Mountains during the early 1960s. Numerous tanks and windmills, such as Antelope Windmill and Punkin Tank, are scattered across the quadrangle, connected by a web of jeep trails that reflect the remote nature of these ranching outposts. A single Prospect near Bodine Spring hints at the mineral exploration common to this high desert region.