1967 Map of Mesa SW

About this map

Boswell Ranch and the family operations of J M McKnight Ranch and W R McKnight Ranch define this livestock-driven landscape in eastern New Mexico during the late 1960s. The terrain is a complex network of ephemeral drainage systems, including Fifteenmile Arroyo, Fourmile Draw, and the prominent Arroyo del Macho. Water management is the primary marker of human presence here, evidenced by numerous livestock watering sites such as Little Burts Tank, Burts Tank, Wells Tank, and China Draw Well. The sparse infrastructure consists primarily of unimproved roads and fine red-dashed fence lines, illustrating the expansive nature of high-desert ranching. Small pockets of activity are noted at Knight and the Paree Ranch, while a lone Gravel Pit indicates local material extraction amidst the draws and canyons like Burts Canyon.