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1949 Map of Circle Mesa

Name: 1949 Topographic Map of Circle Mesa
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1971
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1971

About this map

The rugged high-desert landscape of Circle Mesa and the surrounding Gila National Forest comes into sharp focus during this 1949 field check. The area is defined by the drainage system of Mangas Creek, which runs through the southwestern portion of the sheet parallel to Route 260. Human activity is primarily centered on isolated cattle ranching operations, with several family-named landmarks such as Allison Ranch and Sherman Ranch positioned near canyon mouths or reliable water sources like Dud Tank.

Deeply incised drainages like Blacksmith Canyon and Treasure Canyon carve through the plateau towards Treasure Mountain, illustrating the difficult terrain that dictated early New Mexico ranching boundaries. The presence of multiple named ranching sites including E McMillen Ranch and J McMillen Ranch along the canyon floors provides specific locations for genealogical research and historical land-use study in Grant County.