1981 Map of Progresso SW

About this map

Jumanos Mesa dominates this central New Mexico landscape, rising above the surrounding high desert plains where the borders of Torrance, Socorro, and Lincoln counties converge. This 1981 survey documents a specialized rangeland economy defined by widely scattered water sources essential for livestock. Ranching infrastructure is the primary human imprint here, represented by the Atkinson Ranch and a network of named water points such as Three Way Well, Middle Well, and Dempster Well. The northeastern portion of the map is occupied by the protected lands of the Cibola National Forest, showing the transition from the open Atkinson Flats to more elevated terrain. Small catchments like Horse Pasture Tank and the ephemeral Wire Lake further illustrate the critical importance of water management in this arid territory during the late twentieth century.