1962 Map of Rock House Canyon

About this map

Arroyo del Macho and the winding Rock House Canyon define this section of the Chaves County high desert, where water management was central to survival and ranching in the early 1960s. The landscape is dotted with critical water sources, including catchment basins like China Tank and Gavi Tank, and subterranean access points such as North Well and South Well. These features support localized ranching operations, most notably the Macho Ranch and the Irwin Corn Ranch, as well as the small settlement at Eddleman. The map illustrates a complex network of draws, such as China Draw and Bajillo Draw, which channel seasonal runoff through the arid terrain. For those tracing the history of New Mexico ranching or the development of water infrastructure in the Pecos River basin, this survey documents the exact placement of tanks, wells, and fence lines during a period of active land use before later twentieth-century shifts.