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1952 Map of Turquoise Hill

Name: 1952 Topographic Map of Turquoise Hill
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1953
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1953

About this map

Spanish land grant boundaries define the landscape of this high desert region southwest of the city, where the Cieneguilla Grant and Sitio de los Cerrillos Grant meet. In the early 1950s, the area was a mix of traditional settlement and mid-century infrastructure, anchored by the Santa Fe Municipal Airport and a Radio Range Station. The map captures several rural community hubs, including the St Joseph Church and Cienega School, alongside long-established transportation routes like El Camino Real.

Geologic features like Turquoise Hill and Bonanza Hill underscore the region's mining history. While the margin notes all mines are inactive by this survey, several sites such as the Marshal Bonanza Mine and a Pumice Mine remain as clear markers of past extraction. The complex drainage network of the Santa Fe River and various arroyos, such as Arroyo de Hondo, dictates the placement of the Pan American Central Highway.