1963 Map of Mesa De Los Toros

About this map

Continental Divide winds through this high-altitude landscape of McKinley County, defining a rugged New Mexico environment of mesas and deep canyons as it appeared in the mid-1960s. The topography is dominated by massive elevated formations like Mesa de los Toros and Mesa Amada, which overlook a complex drainage system including Cañada Marcelina and Cañon Largo. Human presence in this arid region is marked by isolated outposts and livestock infrastructure, such as Albert Ranch and Rancho Nuevo. Water sources were critical to life here, evidenced by the scattered distribution of sites like Inditoe Camp Well, Milpitas Well, and the curiously named Grandmas Swimming Pool. This survey documents a traditional ranching landscape where names like Atarque de Marcelina suggest the long-standing Hispanic heritage of local land use and water management.