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1948 Map of Malpais Well

Name: 1948 Topographic Map of Malpais Well
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1954
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1954

About this map

Pedro Armendaris Grant No 33 dominates this mid-century landscape, illustrating the vast private landholdings of southern New Mexico before modern development. The terrain is defined by the sharp contrast between the northern Lava Bed and the network of water resources essential for high-desert ranching. Remote outposts like Casa Grande Ranch, Fuller Ranch, and Graham Ranch are the primary signs of habitation, connected by primitive tracks and centered around isolated water sources such as Malpais Well and Chavez Well.

The reliance on artificial and natural catchments is evident through numerous named tanks including Middle Tank, Bloodsaw Tank, and Hayfield Tank. This 1948 survey, published for civil use by the Geological Survey, preserves the specific ranching infrastructure and boundary lines between Socorro and Sierra counties, reflecting an era of extensive grazing before the landscape was altered by larger regional infrastructure.