1980 Map of Markham Dam

About this map

Cataract Canyon and Monument Wash dominate this arid portion of Coconino County, where the management of scarce water resources is the primary footprint on the land. The presence of numerous livestock tanks and small earthen structures like Markham Dam and Perrin Dam suggests a landscape dedicated to ranching and grazing during the late twentieth century. These features, along with family-named or numbered watering points such as Little Rodgers Tanks, Brown Dams, and Tank No 1, reveal the vital infrastructure required to sustain life and industry in the high desert. The map illustrates a network of unimproved roads and trails connecting these scattered water sources, providing a detailed record of land use before more modern developments. Researchers can trace the legacy of early Arizona ranching through these specifically named tanks, which often served as the only reliable landmarks in an otherwise open and windswept terrain.