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1968 Map of Carpenter Mesa SW

Name: 1968 Topographic Map of Carpenter Mesa SW
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1971
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1971

About this map

The Canadian River carves through the high desert of eastern New Mexico, defining a landscape dominated by expansive mesa tops and deep drainages. In the late 1960s, this area north of the San Miguel and Quay County line was characterized by remote ranching infrastructure and significant water engineering projects. Named mesas such as Carpenter Mesa, Manhead Mesa, and Rica Mesa are dotted with family-named or descriptive water features like Bollschweiler Tank, Boxcar Windmill, and Sarsaparilla Windmill, reflecting the essential nature of water management in this arid terrain.

Industrial and transport footprints appear along the southern portion of the map, where the Conchas Canal utilizes infrastructure like Tunnel No. 3 and Tunnel No. 4 to traverse the complex topography. The map also captures the local reliance on established routes such as Rincon Road and Conchas Road, alongside various jeep trails that connect isolated windmills and tanks across the Pablo Montoya grant lands.