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1915 Map of Soda Canyon

Name: 1915 Topographic Map of Soda Canyon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1915
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1915

About this map

Mesa Verde National Park anchors this 1915 topographic study, documenting a landscape where ancient architecture meets early twentieth-century ranching. The southwest corner is dense with archaeological significance, specifically naming numerous sites including Cliff Palace, Sprucetree House, Balcony House, and the Double Walled Tower. These landmarks are situated along complex drainage systems like Navajo Canyon and Chapin Canyon, which drop away from the high mesas.

Industry and settlement are represented by the Mancos River valley, where Waters Ranch stands as a focal point for late-frontier habitation. The map also delineates the northern border of the Southern Ute Indian Reservation, which occupies the southern half of the quadrangle. Steep terrain features such as Weber Mountain and Battleship Rock illustrate the formidable geography that preserved these ancestral sites for centuries before formal survey.