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1979 Map of Kenna

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

USGS Topo · Published 1979

About this map

The high plains of eastern New Mexico define this area along the border of Chaves and Roosevelt counties in the late 1970s. The small settlement of Kenna serves as the focal point, situated where the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad cuts diagonally across the landscape. This rail line follows the general path of Kenna Draw, a drainage system that, along with Falsey Draw, dictates the sparse water distribution in this arid environment.

Water infrastructure is the dominant feature of the landscape, essential for the ranching operations suggested by dozens of named wells and windmills. Genealogists and local historians will find value in the location of both the Kenna Cem and the Old Kenna Cem, while features like the Doodlebug Windmill, Wooden Wheel Well, and Pioneer Well provide specific landmarks for locating historic property boundaries. The presence of several ephemeral basins, including Sealey Lake and Middle Lake, further characterizes the cattle-country geography of this era.