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1953 Map of Tetilla Peak

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Tetilla Peak
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1978
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1978

About this map

Tetilla Peak and the high volcanic landscape of the Caja del Rio Grant overlook a complex network of ancient mesas and colonial land grants in this mid-century New Mexico study. The Santa Fe River carves through the Cañada de lo Santa Fe, separating the sprawling La Bajada Mesa from the lower drainage systems to the south. Historically significant sites such as the Tsinat Ruins and the La Bajada Mine illustrate the long span of human activity in this arid region, from early indigenous settlement to later mineral extraction.

The presence of the Turquoise Trading Post near Cienega Creek highlights the local economy of the mid-1900s, while the tracks of the At & Sf Rr cut across the southeastern corner near the settlement of Bonanza. Traces of ranching life are evident in the scatter of windmills and corrals across the La Majada Grant, and the Mesita de Juana Lopez Grant, where a rugged terrain of arroyos and basaltic peaks like Las Tetillitas dominates the horizon.