1953 Map of Cummings Mesa

About this map

The Colorado River carves a deep path through this 1950s landscape, marking the boundary between Kane and San Juan counties before the landscape was altered by major dam projects. The southern half of the map is dominated by the Navajo Indian Reservation, which encompasses the high elevations of the Rainbow Plateau. This survey captures the river corridor as it was during the mid-century period, showing numerous sandbars and flats such as Wild Horse Bar, Klondike Bar, and Meskin Bar along the floor of Glen Canyon. To the north, the terrain rises sharply into the Grand Bench and the Straight Cliffs of the Parowits Plateau, illustrating the complex drainage patterns of seasonal waterways like Last Chance Cr and Rock Creek as they descend toward the main river channel.