1953 Map of Velarde

About this map

Rio Grande waters dominate this 1950s landscape, flanked by a complex system of community irrigation channels including the Rinconada Ditch, Canova Ditch, and Velarde Ditch. This area near the Rio Arriba and Taos county line is defined by its deep canyons and fertile agricultural ribbons. The presence of the Embudo Presbyterian Hospital and the Evangelical Sch & Ch underscores the established community infrastructure of the era. Genealogists will find notable value in the location of the Dixon Cemeteries and Velarde Cem. The transportation history of the canyon is evident in the Old Railroad Grade and the Embudo Gaging Sta, markers of a time when the river corridor served as a primary artery for movement through northern New Mexico between Black Mesa and La Mesita.