1937 Map of Ship Rock

About this map

Ship Rock stands as the central landmark of this high-desert landscape in the mid-1930s, its dramatic geological form surrounded by the vast terrain of the Navajo Indian Reservation. This survey, conducted by Max J. Gleissner and R.G. Carpenter, captures a network of ephemeral watercourses including Ship Rock Wash, Red Rock Wash, and Dead Mans Wash that define the drainage patterns around the Ship Rock Ridge. To the south, the massive Beautiful Mountains rise along the state line, while distinctive formations like Mitten Rock, The Thumb, and White Rock provide crucial orientation points for travelers. The map traces the early automotive route of the Red Rock Highway, showing how transportation began to traverse this complex topography of mesas and domes, such as Tocito Dome, before modern infrastructure further altered the region.