1963 Map of Hosta Butte

About this map

Continental Divide winds through this high-elevation terrain of McKinley County, dominated by the prominent volcanic neck of Hosta Butte. The landscape is a study in mid-century resource extraction and missionary presence in the American Southwest. To the east of the divide, Smith Lake serves as a focal point near the Bethesda Navajo Mission, while industrial activity is evident at the Black Jack Mine No 1, complete with its associated Tailings. Water sources like House Lake and Ruby Well are vital markers in this arid environment, supporting both the local mission community and the grazing lands of the Cibola Nat For. The Puerco River cuts through the northern sections, illustrating the drainage patterns that define this high desert plateau during the early 1960s.