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1979 Map of Howard Hill

Name: 1979 Topographic Map of Howard Hill
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1980
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1980

About this map

Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad tracks cut a definitive line through this high-plateau landscape in the late 1970s, connecting small sidings like Woodin and Willaha to the broader rail network. The terrain is defined by its water management, evidenced by numerous named stock tanks such as Rain Tank, Dust Bowl Tank, and West Pasture Tank that supported ranching operations across the Gila and Salt River Meridian.

Rising above the surrounding plains, Howard Hill serves as the primary topographic landmark, while the eastern edge of the map transitions into the protected timberlands of the Kaibab National Forest. Drainage patterns like Red Horse Wash and Coconino Wash illustrate the arid hydrology of the region, where seasonal flows carved features like Little Harpo Canyon. This survey captures a moment in the northern Arizona cattle country, where the infrastructure of the railroad and artificial ponds provided the necessary lifelines for isolated settlements.