1954 Map of Tidwell Bottoms

About this map

Tidwell Bottoms forms the center of this remote desert landscape, where the San Rafael River cuts through the high plateaus of Sinbad Country. The 1950s survey captures a geography defined by seasonal water and cattle ranching, marked by family-named sites such as Gillies Ranch and the outlier known as The Frenchmans. Water management is the primary human imprint on the land, evidenced by small-scale irrigation and stock water projects like Buckmaster Reservoir, Hatt Reservoir, and Ninemile Reservoir. Notable terrain features like Shadscale Mesa and the winding Spotted Wolf Canyon illustrate the complex drainage patterns feeding into the main river corridor. For those tracing regional ranching history, the map provides a precise record of landmarks like Moonshine Tanks and the Gaging Sta used to monitor the unpredictable desert washes.