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1954 Map of La Mesita Negra

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of La Mesita Negra
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1973
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1973

About this map

Rio Puerco carves a central path through this high desert landscape, serving as a prominent boundary for several historic land grants and tribal territories. In the mid-1950s, the Rio Puerco Trading Post stood as a key waypoint near the river crossing, marking a hub of commerce between the Canoncito Navajo Indian Reservation to the northwest and the Laguna Indian Reservation (Antonio Sedillo Grant) to the south.

The map reveals the overlapping jurisdictions of Spanish and Mexican land grants, including the Town of Atrisco Grant and Pajarito Grant. These historic boundaries intersect with geological landmarks like the volcanic prominence of La Mesita Negra and the high elevation of Cerro Colorado. Notable drainage features such as Canada del Ojo and Canada de los Apaches define the rugged topography, while scattered Water Tanks indicate the essential water management required for ranching in this arid environment.