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1963 Map of Gage NW

Name: 1963 Topographic Map of Gage NW
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1966
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1966

About this map

The Continental Divide winds through this high desert corridor, marking the hydrological crest between the Atlantic and Pacific basins in southwestern New Mexico. This 1963 survey shows a landscape defined by the logistics of the railroad and the ranching economy, where the Southern Pacific tracks run parallel to a major highway and a buried Pipeline. Isolated outposts like Wilna serve as waypoints along the rail line, while the broader terrain is dotted with critical water sources for livestock, including Bounds Windmill, Robinson Windmill, and Baker Windmill.

Evidence of local ranching operations is scattered across the flats and foothills, with the Parker Ranch, Tileh Ranch, and Baker Ranch establishing a presence near the rugged Victorio Mtns. Natural drainage patterns like China Draw and Seventysix Draw reveal the movement of water across the arid surface, while man-made features such as a Roadside Park and several Borrow Pits speak to the ongoing maintenance of the mid-century transportation infrastructure.