1960 Map of Dough Mountain

About this map

The Laguna Indian Reservation landscape is defined by the stark volcanic geology of the San Jose River valley, where the high mesa of South Point Mesa overlooks the Lava beds and the distinctive Dough Mountain. In the early 1960s, this area supported industrial and transport infrastructure, including the Laguna Compressor Station and the South Laguna Mines tucked beneath the mesa rims. Settlement is sparse, represented by small locales like Mesitá Blanca and Schero Gana, along with isolated outposts like Kase Sheep Camp. The corridor along the Rio San Jose serves as a vital transit artery, carrying the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad and the burgeoning path of Interstate 40 alongside the older route of Highway 66. This transition from traditional sheep camps to modern interstate and pipeline infrastructure marks a significant era of change for this New Mexico terrain.