1968 Map of Pinkerton Mesa

About this map

Pinkerton Mesa dominates this 1968 study of the Southern Ute Indian Reservation, where the landscape is defined by an intricate network of desert drainage systems and rising gas and oil production. The terrain is marked by distinctive features such as North Cinder Butte and the broad expanses of Orrie Walker Flat and Cow Flat. Numerous extraction points, labeled as Gas Well and Oil Well, dot the various canyons and mesas, signaling the mid-century industrial utility of this arid region. The map captures a complex system of named gulches and canyons, including Iron Springs Gulch, Fortyfour Canyon, and Valencia Canyon, which carve through the high ground. These natural pathways, alongside landmarks like the Pumping Sta, reflect the convergence of historical topography and modern resource management across the Colorado-New Mexico borderlands.