Loading map...

1962 Map of Melena

Name: 1962 Topographic Map of Melena
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1982
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1982

About this map

The Pecos River valley and the high desert terrain of Chaves County define this landscape, recorded during a period of significant updates in the early 1960s and late 1970s. The Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge occupies much of the central and eastern portions of the sheet, preserving a complex of wetlands including the Ink Pots, Lowe Lake, and Skull Lake. These water sources contrast sharply with the surrounding arid features like Garcia Flat and the Ballard Hill uplands.

Transportation and industry are marked by the path of the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad, which runs parallel to the Clovis and Topeka Highway near the small settlement of Melena. The terrain is characterized by the prominent Dunnahoo Hills and several drainages such as Arroyo del Macho and the Lost River, while numerous labeled Sandpits and a Gravel Pit indicate local mineral extraction during this era.