1952 Map of White Rock

About this map

Bandelier National Monument and the San Ildefonso Indian Reservation meet along the deeply incised basalt and tuff plateaus of the Pajarito Plateau during the early 1950s. The settlement of White Rock sits at the center of a complex topography defined by the Rio Grande and its numerous tributary canyons, including Los Alamos Canyon and Mortandad Canyon. The landscape preserves significant archaeological evidence, marked by the Tsankawi Ruins, Navawi Ruins, and Tshirege Ruins, alongside remnants of earlier infrastructure like the Old Railroad Grade. This survey illustrates the area's transition into the atomic era, showing an Artesian Well and now-defunct facilities such as the Pumping Station (Aband) and Pueblo Tank (Aband) near the confluence of Chaquehui Canyon and the river. Large land grants, including the Ramon Vigil Grant and Caja del Rio Grant, still define the territorial boundaries of the region.