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1955 Map of Sonsala Butte 4 NW

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Sonsala Butte 4 NW
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1958
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1958

About this map

Defiance Plateau dominates the central landscape of this mid-century survey, situated within the expansive Navajo Indian Reservation. The map provides a detailed view of the dramatic geological transition into Canyon De Chelly, including the northern boundary of the Canyon De Chelly National Monument. This area, mapped in 1955, illustrates a remote high-desert environment where water sources like Wheatfields Creek, Whiskey Creek, and Sand Creek dictate the patterns of human presence.

The settlement at Lower Wheatfields serves as a focal point for researchers interested in the historical geography of Apache County. Local landmarks, such as a marked Grave near Wheatfields Creek and various small dams, indicate a landscape managed for subsistence and livestock in the years following the war. The topography reveals the intricate drainage systems that feed into the canyon complex, offering a clear record of the area's trails and unimproved roads before later modernization.