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1948 Map of Sowell

Name: 1948 Topographic Map of Sowell
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1954
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1954

About this map

The San Andres Mountains dominate the eastern edge of this landscape, rising sharply above the desert plains of the Tularosa Basin during the late 1940s. The region is defined by a sparse ranching economy, centered on isolated hubs like Cain Ranch Headquarters, Sanchez Ranch, and Sowell Ranch Headquarters. Survival in this arid environment is tied directly to water management, as evidenced by the network of scattered catchments such as Sevenmile Tank, Adobe House Tank, and Candler Tank.

A notable portion of the northwestern territory is occupied by the Pedro Armendaris Grant No 33, reflecting the enduring legacy of Spanish land grants in New Mexico. The New Mexico Principal Meridian bisects the center of the sheet, providing a primary surveying reference point. Modern infrastructure of the era appears in the form of Radio Towers (P P Range), marking the early integration of military and communications range technology into the high desert landscape.