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1912 Map of Petrified Forest

Name: 1912 Topographic Map of Petrified Forest
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1947
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1947

About this map

The Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad corridor anchors the northern reach of this landscape, passing through the small settlement of Adamana and past Goodwater along the Puerco River. This 1912 edition, based on surveys by J.G. Staack, Pearson Chapman, and G.S. Druhot, captures the area during the early years of the Petrified Forest National Monument. The map documents a geography of erosion and discovery, identifying key paleontological and archaeological sites like Newspaper Rock, the Agate House, and various unnamed Ruins.

Beyond the central Rainbow Forest and Headquarters, the terrain is defined by seasonal drainages such as Lithodendron Wash and Jim Camp Wash. Distinctive formations like The Tepees, The Battleship, and The Haystacks emerge from the desert floor. In the southwest, the presence of Ortegas Ranch near Carr Lake highlights the intersection of early ranching with the protected federal lands of the First Forest and Second Forest.