1955 Map of Sonsala Butte 3 NE

About this map

Canyon De Chelly National Monument and the surrounding high desert of the Navajo Indian Reservation are defined here by deep, branching sandstone gorges and ancient archaeological sites. This 1955 survey details a landscape where historical geography is etched into the terrain at places like Massacre Cave Ruins and Mummy Cave Ruins. Situated atop the Defiance Plateau, the area features a complex network of traditional pathways, including the Spanish Trail and Red Clay Trail, which navigate the steep descents into Muerto Canyon and Tseh-ya-kin Canyon. Unlike later maps of more developed regions, this sheet highlights a terrain of isolation and preservation, showing only isolated markers of human modification like small dams, Bear Spring, and the high-altitude Reservoir on the plateau's surface.