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1963 Map of Elk

Name: 1963 Topographic Map of Elk
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1967
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1967

About this map

Rio Peñasco flows through the high country of the Lincoln National Forest in this 1960s study of the borderlands between Otero and Chaves counties. The landscape is defined by a dense network of drainages, including the prominent Agua Chiquita Canyon and Mule Canyon, which converge near the historic Crockett Ranch. This area reveals the essential infrastructure of New Mexico ranching and resource management, with numerous water features like Mathews Tank No 1 and Gravel Tank scattered across the terrain to support livestock in the arid environment.

Local history is anchored by the Elk Cemetery and landmarks such as Wind Mountain, while the winding Telephone Road and Route 82 provide the primary transit through the canyons. The map records a quiet rural era where family-named features like Browning Canyon and Tillotson Canyon reflect the heritage of the settlers who worked these lands before more modern development reached this corner of the state.