1892 Map of Henry Mountains

About this map

The Henry Mountains dominate the upper portion of this topographic survey, which spans the borderlands between Garfield and San Juan counties during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This work, based on topography by the Powell Surveys, captures the desert landscape before the era of major dam projects, showing the natural course of the Colorado River as it winds through deep canyons and meets the San Juan River. The intricate contour lines reveal the massive geologic scale of the Water Pocket Fold and the isolated peaks of Mt Hillers and Mt Holmes. This reconstruction illustrates the region as a wild, high-desert frontier where early conservation efforts are noted through labels for Natural Bridges National Monument and Rainbow Bridge National Monument. Further south, the map delineates the Utah Arizona Boundary Line near the iconic landforms of Monument Valley.