1978 Map of Grants

About this map

The Cibola National Forest and several tribal nations define the landscape of this region during the late 1970s. The Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe RR and Interstate 40 parallel the Rio San Jose, creating a vital transportation corridor through Grants and Milan. Industrial activity is marked by the presence of the Jackpile Mine on the Laguna Indian Reservation, while the high country of the Cebolleta Mountains and Mount Taylor towers over the surrounding mesas. Traditional settlements like San Mateo and Seboyeta are connected by a network of state routes, including New Mexico 53 and New Mexico 279, which navigate the complex terrain of Mesa Chivato and Mesa Gigante (Bell Rock Mesa). This period shows the meeting of historical agricultural communities with large-scale mining and modern interstate transit.