1953 Map of Redrock Valley

About this map

The Navajo Indian Reservation spans this high-desert landscape in the early 1950s, centered on the Arizona and New Mexico border where the Carrizo Mountains and Lukachukai Mts converge. This region, mapped in cooperation with the Atomic Energy Commission, shows the industrial footprint of the Cold War era with several labeled Mine and Mines sites situated in the southern canyons. Local community life is anchored at Red Rock, which includes a Trading Post and the Red Rock Sch, while the western slopes of Cove Mesa are served by the Cove Sch. Significant geological landmarks like the Natural Arch and the distinctive spire known as The Thumb rise above a complex network of seasonal drainages, including Blackhorse Creek and Cove Creek. The mapping reveals a sparse but vital infrastructure of landing strips and water tanks supporting this remote high-elevation territory.