1956 Map of Cortez

About this map

The Mesa Verde plateau and the sprawling high deserts of the Four Corners region dominate this mid-century landscape. The map details the intricate relationship between the canyon-cut terrain and early agricultural settlements like Dove Creek, Monticello, and Blanding. Evidence of the region’s deep cultural history is visible through the boundaries of the Navajo, Ute Mountain, and Southern Ute Indian Reservation lands, alongside dedicated preservation sites such as Hovenweep National Monument and Yucca House National Monument. The rugged topography, defined by Comb Ridge and the Abajo Mountains, is punctuated by isolated outposts like Mexican Hat and Aneth along the San Juan River. The presence of Fort Lewis A & M College near the eastern edge provides a specific marker of the era's institutional development amidst the vast San Juan National Forest and Manti-La Sal National Forest.