1985 Map of Monument SW

About this map

Monument Draw cuts a distinct path through this section of Lea County, serving as the primary geographic marker in a landscape shaped by the High Plains of Southeast New Mexico. This 1985 provisional survey, based on aerial photography from the late 1970s, documents a transition in the region's land use as the oil and gas industry continued its expansion across the Permian Basin. The map's contouring reveals the subtle relief and drainage patterns typical of the Llano Estacado, providing a snapshot of the terrain before later decades of industrial development and infrastructure projects altered the local topography. While the map is sparse in named settlements, it remains a critical record for researchers tracing the historical boundaries and natural hydrology of the area during the mid-1980s.