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1968 Map of Candy Mesa

Name: 1968 Topographic Map of Candy Mesa
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1982
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1982

About this map

Gerhardt Valley and the surrounding high plains of eastern New Mexico are defined by a dramatic escarpment that separates the lower valley floor from the elevated tablelands of Taiban Mesa and Candy Mesa. This 1968 field-checked survey reveals a sparsely populated ranching landscape where development is limited to isolated operations like Knighten Ranch and the M and M Ranch at the base of the mesa.

Surface water is a critical and intermittent feature of the terrain, as shown by the drainage of Truchas Creek and Red Tank Creek. Evidence of local industry appears in the form of Gravel Pits and scattered drill holes, suggesting small-scale resource extraction. The boundary between Quay County and De Baca County is clearly delineated, providing a precise geographic marker for land-use history and genealogical research in this arid region of the Llano Estacado.