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1963 Map of Mexican Hat

Name: 1963 Topographic Map of Mexican Hat
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1965
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1965

About this map

The San Juan River carves a spectacular path through this high desert region, creating the dramatic entrenched meanders known as The Goosenecks. This 1963 field-checked survey, produced in cooperation with the Atomic Energy Commission, highlights the industrial and geological character of southern San Juan County. Near the settlement of Mexican Hat, the presence of Tailings Ponds, an Aqueduct, and a Water Purification Plant reflects the era's mid-century mining and milling activities.

South of the river, the Navajo Indian Reservation extends toward the northern reaches of Monument Valley. The landscape is punctuated by iconic formations like Alhambra Rock, The Tabernacle, and the Valley of the Gods. Local history is preserved in labels like Raplees Stone House (Ruins) and the small post office at Mexican Hat PO, while a network of jeep trails and a remote Landing Strip indicate the area's limited but vital transportation links during the 1960s.