1943 Map of Pendejo Wash

About this map

The Tularosa Valley landscape of the early 1940s is defined here by a network of water management features essential for high-desert ranching. Surveyed just before the expansion of military testing grounds in the region, this map documents the scattered infrastructure of the Old Wright Place and Mesa Horse Camp. The terrain is carved by the winding Pendejo Wash and deep incisions like Rough Canyon and Hay Meadow Canyon. The survival of livestock in this arid environment is evidenced by the density of named water points, including the Hay Meadow Tank, Little Crockett Tank, and the End of Line Tank. These labels reveal a system of grazing boundaries and movement, from the Mare Pasture Tub to the Herd Pasture Tub, capturing a specific moment in New Mexico's pastoral history.