Loading map...

1952 Map of Bluff 3 SE

Name: 1952 Topographic Map of Bluff 3 SE
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1954
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1954

About this map

The Navajo Indian Reservation in San Juan County is documented here during the early 1950s, a period before extensive modern infrastructure reached this part of the desert southwest. The landscape is defined by the drainage systems of Gypsum Creek and Cane Valley Wash, which carve through the arid terrain of Cane Valley. A solitary Hogan is marked on the sheet, providing a rare localized record of traditional habitation patterns within the reservation during this era.

Evidence of small-scale water management and historical transit is visible through the presence of a Dam, a Spring, and a network of Jeep Trails. These features reflect the sparse but essential points of navigation and survival for residents and travelers in the high desert. Mapped just after the war using aerial photography, this preliminary survey captures the region's geography at a time when traditional landmarks and unpaved routes were the primary means of traversing the territory.