1954 Map of Tidwell 2 SE

About this map

The San Rafael River meanders through this portion of Emery County, defining a landscape of complex topography and isolated human activity during the mid-1950s. The presence of Gillies Ranch and the curiously named The Frenchmans suggests the precarious nature of settlement in this arid environment, where water access dictated the viability of ranching operations. Traces of early water management are evident at Rock Dam and a Gaging Sta, while natural features like Iron Wash and a Seep mark the few reliable breaks in the dry terrain. The map's unimproved roads and dashed land lines reflect the area's transition into a more formally documented territory, captured just as modern photogrammetric mapping began to replace traditional field sketching.