1965 Map of Lewis Peak NE

About this map

Cauhapes and a scattering of isolated water infrastructure define the Chaves County landscape in the mid-1960s. The terrain is dominated by a complex network of dry drainage features, including Walnut Draw, Fourmile Canyon, and Horse Canyon, which carve through the Pretty Bird Hills. Human activity is sparse and largely focused on water management and energy, as seen in the presence of Bates Windmill and the Oil Well Windmill. This 1965 survey reveals a ranching environment where life revolves around these specific named water sources and tanks. A single Pipeline cuts across the southern portion of the quadrangle, indicating industrial utility in an otherwise remote portion of New Mexico. The naming of canyons like Pretty Bird Canyon and Crooked Canyon Draw suggests a history of local geographic identification by those working this arid land.