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1981 Map of Foster Well

Name: 1981 Topographic Map of Foster Well
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1987
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1987

About this map

White Sands Missile Range dominates this orthophotomap, showing the stark intersection of high-technology military infrastructure and remote desert geography in Socorro County. The orthophoto base reveals a prominent circular facility in the northern portion of the quadrangle, supported by a Heliport, an Observation Tower, and a network of access roads. This specialized landscape reflects the mid-century expansion of Cold War testing sites, where large-scale earthworks like the Borrow Pit were necessary to construct range facilities.

Evidence of earlier or more traditional land use persists in the presence of water features like Pole Russell Tank, Lewis Tank, and the isolated Foster Well Grave. These markers, along with various Drill Holes and a Pond Site, provide a window into the local topography before and during its incorporation into the federal range. The map illustrates how a specialized government landscape was layered over the arid terrain, preserving specific named points while fundamentally reorienting the purpose of the land.