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1979 Map of Paulden

Name: 1979 Topographic Map of Paulden
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1985
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1985

About this map

Big Black Mesa dominates the northern landscape of this Yavapai County region, where the high plateaus of the Prescott National Forest meet the broad drainages of Chino Valley. The map documents a critical transportation corridor defined by the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad, which snakes through the terrain alongside remnant infrastructure like the Old Railroad Grade and Railroad Tank. These rails connect the small settlements of Paulden and Drake, supporting a local economy historically tied to cattle and limestone extraction, evidenced by numerous quarries and borrow pits near the tracks.

Water management is central to life in this arid environment, shown through a network of tanks and wells such as Peavine Tank, Lower Limestone Tank, and Hells Well. To the southeast, the perennial flow of the Verde River provides a stark contrast to the seasonal washes like Williamson Valley Wash. Genealogists will find the Cedar Glade Cem near Drake, a small but significant site for tracing early families in this rugged high-desert territory.