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1972 Map of Cortez SW

Name: 1972 Topographic Map of Cortez SW
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1972
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1972

About this map

Yucca House National Monument and its nearby Ruins anchor the southern portion of this high-desert landscape in Montezuma County, illustrating the intersection of ancient history and mid-century utility. The map traces a complex network of agricultural irrigation in the Montezuma Valley, defined by the Duncan Ditch, Aztec Ditch, and Highline Ditch. These waterways supported the local economy alongside the Ute Field and an isolated Oil Well.

Canyon topography dominates the northern half, where McElmo Creek is fed by Morrison and Goodman Canyons. Transportation and commerce are represented by the Montezuma County Airport and the settlement at Hogan, while rugged access is noted via a Jeep Trail winding through the uplands. This survey documents a transition in land use, from the sacred grounds of the Ute Mountain Indian Reservation to the growing aviation and energy infrastructure of the early 1970s.