Loading map...

1967 Map of Garcia

Name: 1967 Topographic Map of Garcia
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1971
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1971

About this map

Sangre De Cristo Grant lands define this high-altitude basin on the Colorado-New Mexico border during the mid-1960s. The landscape is shaped by an extensive water management system designed to support agriculture in this arid environment, featuring the Eastdale Reservoir No 1, Eastdale Canal, and several smaller ditches like the Chalifa Canal and Mesa Ditch. These irrigation works are essential to the small settlements of Mesita, Jaroso, and Garcia that dot the valley floor.

Evidence of former transportation networks is visible through the Old Railroad Grade running north of Mesita, while local social life is anchored by the Rodeo Ground and a village Cem. The dramatic eastern boundary is formed by the rising slopes of San Pedro Mesa, contrasting with the relatively level plains drained by Costilla Creek. The map records a specific moment in the life of these borderlands, showing how water rights and historical land grants influenced the distribution of homes and wells.