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1954 Map of Meredith Hill

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of Meredith Hill
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1992
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1992

About this map

Meredith Hill rises as the prominent topographical landmark in this arid stretch of the High Plains along the Crowley and Otero County line. The landscape is defined by the critical management of water, where the Fort Lyon Canal and Storage Canal cut through the terrain to support local agriculture. The confluence of Horse Creek and Black Draw is managed by the Horse Creek and Black Draw Reservoir, a vital node for the surrounding cattle operations.

Private landholdings and early homesteads are scattered throughout the quadrangle, including the Herman Ranch and Markus Ranch in the western reaches, and The Old Best Ranch situated near the central drainage. These named ranch sites, along with the Smith Ranch and the intricate network of the Lewis Lateral and various Ditch segments, illustrate the mid-century ranching economy and the engineering required to sustain it in a region where every Levee and Spoil Bank tells a story of water rights and land use.