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1973 Map of Melrose SE

Name: 1973 Topographic Map of Melrose SE
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1987
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1987

About this map

High plains ranching and the shifting geology of eastern New Mexico define this landscape along the Curry Co Roosevelt Co border. Photogrammetric data from the early 1970s reveals a sparse network of homesteads and water resources, including the Smart Ranch and Spencer Ranch. The terrain is characterized by subtle elevation changes and prominent Sand Dunes, reflecting the arid environment of the Llano Estacado.

Infrastructure is limited to essential thoroughfares like the Base Line and Sun Dale Valley Rd, which connect these isolated holdings. For family historians and researchers, the map provides precise locations for numerous agricultural Wells and a Gravel Pit near the southern boundary. These features, along with the proximity to Steele Ranch, document the spatial layout of rural life in this corner of the state before late-twentieth-century developments altered the local character.