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1963 Map of Gallup West

Name: 1963 Topographic Map of Gallup West
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1984
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1984

About this map

The industrial and extractive history of the San Juan Basin is clearly visible on this 1963 survey of Gallup and its northwestern environs. Coal mining dominates the local geography, evidenced by the Carbon City Mine, Defiance Mine, and the extensive Mine Dumps scattered across Coal Basin. These operations were served by the Atchison Topeka And Santa Fe railroad, which parallels the Puerco River and the main highway corridor.

Settlement patterns in the mid-20th century are defined by mining communities and institutional outposts. The company town of Gamerco sits to the north, while smaller settlements like Mentmore and Allison flank the rail lines. Local aviation and communications are represented by the Gallup-McKinley County Airport and the Radio Towers (KGAK). The landscape is deeply carved by drainage systems with evocative names like Death Wash, Burned Death Wash, and Many Arrow Wash, indicating a complex terrain surrounding the urban center and the Hillcrest Cemetery grounds.