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1956 Map of Diamond A Ranch

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Diamond A Ranch
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1957
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1957

About this map

The Rio Hondo carves a winding path across this mid-century cattle-ranching landscape in Chaves County, defining a territory where water management was essential to survival. The map illustrates a network of sophisticated irrigation efforts, featuring numerous ditches and levees alongside named windmills that sustained livestock across the arid terrain. Working ranches such as the Diamond A Ranch and White Ranch serve as the primary hubs of activity, linked by private roads and trails that traverse the various draws and arroyos.

A series of named mills, including Highway Mill, Eighteenmile Mill, Diamante Mill, Center Mill, and Rivers Mill, are positioned strategically near drainage features like Rocky Arroyo and Johnson Draw. These landmarks provide crucial points of reference for genealogists and local historians tracing the development of large-scale ranching operations in New Mexico. The terrain is further defined by seasonal watercourses such as Thirteenmile Draw and Buchanan Draw, which reflect the hydrology of the Pecos River basin.