1961 Map of Tinian

About this map

Tinian Mission and the small settlement of Tinian anchor this high-desert landscape at the boundary of McKinley and Sandoval Counties. This 1961 field-checked survey reveals a remote economy driven by livestock and mineral exploration, evidenced by scattered livestock watering points like Uranium Claim Tank and Homestead Corner Tank. The terrain is defined by the massive Chaco Mesa to the south and Mesa de San Felipe to the east, with deep drainages such as Cañon Piñon and Vicente Arroyo cutting through the pinyon-juniper forest. A dedicated Landing Strip and the Torreon Trading Post suggest the area's role as a regional hub for commerce and transportation in a sparsely populated corner of New Mexico. Geologic interest is further noted by an Oil Well and specific landmarks like Sheep Queen Hill, providing a look at land use before modern infrastructure reached these basins.