University of Virginia Library

Surveys, Maps, and Place Names

The earliest known map of the area is that by Miera y Pacheco of
1777, mentioned previously. The first map authentically made from
first hand knowledge was that by Simpson in 1849.[44] This was also the
first map to show the archaeologic sites. Guillemin Tarayre, in 1867,
compiled a geologic map of the former northern Mexican possessions
which indicates ruins (not named) in the proper location for the
Chaco group.[45] In 1876, Oscar Loew published a map of the prehistoric
sites in New Mexico which placed all of the Chaco sites in [the Province
of] Aztlan.[46] Two maps were issued by W. H. Jackson in 1878, on
the basis of his reconnaissance of 1877.[47] One map is an archaeologic
detail of the Chaco Canyon, which shows Pueblo Alto for the first time.
The second map covers the prehistoric sites of the Southwest, and uses
the term Mesa de los Lobos for what are now called the Dutton and
Chaco plateaus.

The various surveys made by the members of the Wheeler and Hayden
parties, supplemented by topographic surveys, 1882-1887, by A. P.
Davis, Wilson, and W. W. Davis, of the United States Geologic Survey,
provided the material for the U. S. G. S. topographic reconnaissance
maps issued 1892-1897 to cover the Chaco area.[48] The Kirtland

Map II—Section of Miera y Pacheco Map

quadrangle, surveyed in 1927-1928, was issued in 1932. This map shows
a sector within the old Chaco sheet on a scale 1:125,000, contour interval
of fifty feet.

Surveyors, working for individuals, the old Atlantic and Pacific
Railroad (now a part of the Santa Fe system), petroleum and coal
companies, the Bureau of Mines, the General Land Office, the United
States Geological Survey, the Indian Office, the American Museum of
Natural History, and the School of American Research, have run numerous
lines and set up a few corner posts and bench marks during the
last fifty years. However, little of their work has been incorporated in
usable maps of the Chaco area. This is especially true for a four
hundred square mile area centering at Pueblo Bonito. Despite the
archaeologic-topographic surveys made by the Hyde Expedition in the
1890's, Dr. E. L. Hewett in 1902, the National Geographic Society in
1922, and Dr. R. G. Fisher during the last few years, no decent archaeologic
or topographic map has yet been published for the ruin area.

The archaeologist, wishing a field map, is confronted by the following:

• General topography: N. H. Darton's Topographic Map of New Mexico
  (1:500,000; 100-meter contour) published in 1925; supplemented
  by the very poor Chaco, Largo, Ft. Wingate, and Mount
  Taylor sheets, and the fairly accurate Kirtland quadrangle. The
  Kroeger and Ritter (Durango, Colo.) Map of San Juan County,
  New Mexico, 1923, might be used also.

• Geology: N. H. Darton's Geologic Map of New Mexico (1:500,000; 100-meter
  contour) published in 1928; with Reeside's map for the
  Western Part of the San Juan Basin (U. S. G. S. Prof. Paper 134)
  east to Pueblo Bonito and Alamo Arroyo, and Dane's Geologic Map
  of the La Ventana-Chacra Mesa Coal Field (U. S. G. S. Bulletin
  860-C) west to Gallo Arroyo and Alamo Arroyo.

• Archaeology: Jackson's map mentioned above, or Hewett's map in the
  Chaco Canyon and its Monuments. Better maps have been compiled
  but they are in manuscript form.

• Various: The Indian Office, National Park Service, and Soil Conservation
  Service have an aerial photograph mosaic map of the Navajo
  Indian Reservation which is quite valuable to anyone who is familiar
  with aerial photographic maps. The Chaco Canyon National
  Monument is outside of any national forest. The Navajo Indian
  Reservation takes in only the western portion of the Chaco drainage
  basin.

Many changes have occurred in the place names of the Chaco area,
even during just the last sixty years. In order to aid in the understanding
of various earlier reports and maps, the following list has been

compiled. It is merely a check list of the more important localities in
and near the Chaco, or those that have changed most in name, and does
not pretend to any degree of completeness.

Alamo Arroyo (Choukai Wash), enters Escavada Wash from the
southeast.

Bennett Peak (Peaks of the Ojos Calientes), igneous plug south of the
Shiprock.

Bisti Trading Company (Hunter's Store), on Bisti Wash (Hunter's
Wash) just east of Navajo Indian Reservation east line.

Bluewater (Ojo Agua Azul), station on Santa Fe northwest of Grants.

Campbell's Pass (Navajo Pass), across Continental Divide west
of Thoreau.

Casa Chiquita (Ruin No. 9 of Simpson).

Casa Morena, east of Crown Point and Heart Butte.

Casa Rinconada, large kiva south of Chaco River nearly opposite Pueblo
Bonito.

Chaco Canyon (Cañon de Chaco, Cañon de Chusca).

Chaco River (Chaco Arroyo, Chaco Wash, Tsegilini).

Chacra Mesa (Mesa de Chaca as late as 1899, Chaco Mesa), mesa south
and east of upper Chaco river.

Chetro Ketl (Rain Pueblo, Chettro Kettle, Chetho Kette, Ketro Kete,
Shining Pueblo), just east of Pueblo Bonito.

Chuska Mountains (Sierra de Chusca or Choiskai, plus Sierra de
Tunicha or Tunitcha or Tumecha, plus Lukachukai mountains),
main mountain chain along Arizona-New Mexico border west of
the Chaco.

Chuska Valley, along eastern foot of the Chuska Mountains.

Coal Creek, about 15 miles below Meyers Creek, tributary of the Chaco.

Continental Divide (Cordilleras, Sierra de los Mimbres, Sierra Madre,
Cejita Blanca), runs through Thoreau northeastward past Star
Lake.

Cottonwood Arroyo (not to be confused with arroyo of same name
entering lower Chaco), enters Chaco River from the north about
two miles below Pueblo Pintado.

Crownpoint (formerly location of Pueblo Bonito Indian School, and
headquarters for Pueblo Bonito Reservation.) Navajo agency, hospital,
and school.

Delnazini (Tiznatzin), spring and ruins on Coal Creek about four
miles above its mouth.

Escavada Wash, first main wash entering the Chaco from the north
below Pueblo Bonito.

(New) Fort Wingate (old Fort Fauntleroy, Ft. Lyon, Ojo Hasso, Ojo
del Oso, Bear Springs, Tshushbitgo).

Gallo Arroyo, north side of the Chaco, between Wijiji and Una Vida.
This name is also applied to the arroyo coming in from the north
about two miles above Shabik'eshchee.

Hosta Butte, south of Crown Point—a landmark for miles.

Hungo Pavi (Hungopavie, Crooked Nose), ruin east of Chetro Ketl.

Kimbetoh (Kinnebeto, Kinnebito), on Kimbetoh Arroyo, which enters
Escavada Wash from the north.

Kin Biniola (Kin Binioli, Kin Bineola, Kinbiniyol, Kimenola, House of
the Winds), large ruin some sixteen miles by road southwest of
Pueblo Bonito.

Kin Kletso (Yellow House, Kinkletsoi, Kinklitso, Site No. 8 of Simpson),
small ruin about one-half mile west of Pueblo Bonito.

Kin Klizhin (Black Wood, or Charcoal Place, Kinklizin), ruin southwest
of Pueblo Bonito on road to Kin Biniola.

Kin Nasbas (Kin Nahasbaz, Kin Nahasbas), large isolated kiva northwest
from Una Vida.

Kintyel (Kintail of Bickford, Broad Ruin), identified as Chetro Ketl by
W. Matthews. More probably Pueblo Bonito.

Kin Ya-ah (Kin ya-a, Kinya-a, Kin Yai, High Pueblo House, probably
Lummis' Pueblo Alto), ruin east of Crownpoint.

Mesa de los Lobos (Dutton and Chaco plateaus have replaced this term,
excepting on a 1933 map of the Navajo country which places it
north of the Navajo Church).

Mesa Fajada (Mesa Fachada, Mesa Fahada, Saydegil), landmark mesa
near western point of the Chacra Mesa.

Meyers Creek, about eight miles below Pueblo Bonito.

Mockingbird Gap (Hungo Pavi Canyon), north side of the Chaco just
east of Hungo Pavi. This name is also applied to the Gallo Arroyo.

Mockingbird Pass, from south toward Pueblo Pintado.

Mount Taylor (San Mateo, Tsadil, Dzotzil, Yodotlizhitzil), volcanic
massif and landmark north of Acomita. Named Taylor by Simpson
in 1849.

Ojo Alamo, near head of Ojo Alamo Arroyo which enters Coal Creek
from the north.

Old Fort Wingate (Ojo del Gallo), near San Rafael south of Grants.

Otis Trading Post, where road to Pueblo Bonito leaves FarmingtonCuba
highway.

Peñasco Blanco, large ruin south of Chaco River about three miles
below Pueblo Bonito.

Pueblo Alto, ruin on mesa north of Pueblo Bonito. Not to be confused
with Pueblo Alto (Trading Company) northeast of Pueblo Pintado.

Pueblo Bonito (abandoned postoffice of Putnam), main ruin in the
Chaco Canyon. Location of monument headquarters. Perhaps
Pueblo Grande of Loew's map. In Navajo, Sabaohnnai (place
where rock is braced up).

Pueblo del Arroyo (Taba Kin), about one-fourth mile west of Pueblo
Bonito. Location of Chaco Canyon Trading Post.

Pueblo Pintado (Pueblo Bonito of Gregg and Loew, Pueblo Colorado,
Pueblo de Montezuma, Pueblo de Ratones, Pueblo Grande), most
eastern Chaco River ruin. About 22 miles by road from Pueblo
Bonito.

Raton Spring, nine miles east of Pueblo Pintado.

Rio Puerco—Rio Puerco of the East flows into the Rio Grande; Rio
Puerco of the West flows into the Little Colorado.

San Jose River (Rio de la Laguna, Rio Gallo), main tributary of the
Rio Puerco of the East.

Satan Pass (Devil's Pass, Cañon Infierno), from Dutton Plateau down
into Chaco drainage.

Saydatoh (Pueblo Alto, Socorro, Ojo del Alto), four miles northeast of
Pueblo Pintado.

Seven Lakes (Siete Lagunas, Faris Ranch), ephemeral lakes where
Star Lake and Pueblo Bonito roads diverge.

Shabik'eshchee, Basket Maker site on Chacra mesa about two miles
above Wijiji.

Shiprock (Winson Peak, the Needles, Tsebidai), igneous plug and
landmark southwest of Chaco-San Juan juncture.

South Gap, entrance to the Chaco Canyon, from the south, opposite
Pueblo del Arroyo.

Star Lake, just east of Continental Divide, and five miles east of Raton
Spring.

Stinking Spring, two miles east of Chavez near Santa Fe Railroad.

Stony Butte, south of Chaco River about 16 miles west of Pueblo Bonito.
White Rock Store is nearby.

Torreones Arroyo (Torrejon), east of Continental Divide from the
Chaco River. Flows into Chico Arroyo which flows into the Rio
Puerco of the East.

Tzin Kletzin (Tsin Kletsin, Tsinklitsin), ruin on mesa south of Casa
Rinconada.

Tsaya, formerly post office; now a Navajo community north of the
Chaco River some six miles northeast of Stony Butte.

Una Vida, ruin north of the Chaco River, nearly opposite Mesa Fajada.

Vicente Wash (Vacinte Wash, Fachada Chaco, Fahada Arroyo, Chacra
Wash), south fork of the Chaco River which joins the main river
just west of the Mesa Fajada. Not to be confused with two other
washes or arroyos by this name in the same general area.

White Horse Trading Post (Buck's Store), on upper waters of south
fork of the Chaco.

Wijiji (Turquoise House, Blue House, Kin Dotliz, Greasewood House,
Wejegi, Weje-gi, Vetche-Tchi), ruin east of Una Vida.

The Chaco Canyon is within the San Juan Basin (a structural
basin in northwestern New Mexico and southwestern Colorado, enclosed
by outcrops of Cretaceous coal bearing formations, and with strata
dipping toward a common center), and also extends into a portion of
the Durango-Gallup Coal Field. The Chaco Plateau, together with
the northern part of the Dutton Plateau, the Chuska Valley, and the
eastern slope of the Chuska Mountains, comprise the Chaco drainage
basin. These physiographic divisions constitute the eastern part of
the Navajo section of the Colorado Plateaus province. Much of this
area was once referred to as the Cretaceous Plateau.

Upper Cretaceous and lower Tertiary sedimentaries dominate the
Chaco area. Terms in vogue are (from oldest to youngest):

Within the Mesaverde group (named by Holmes in 1877 from the Mesa
Verde in Colorado):

Hosta sandstone (Sears 1934, from Hosta Butte), replaces Point
Lookout sandstone (Collier 1919, in Mesa Verde area). It is
not revealed in the Chaco area proper.

Allison member (Sears 1925, near Gallup), replaces Menafee formation
(Collier 1919, in Mesa Verde area).

Chacra sandstone member (Dane 1936; earlier by Keyes; from
Chacra Mesa), replaces Cliff House sandstone (Collier 1919,
in the Mesa Verde).

Lewis shale (Cross 1899, near Ft. Lewis, Colorado).

Pictured Cliffs sandstone (Holmes 1877, one mile west of Fruitland).

Equivalent to the Laramie of Holmes:

Fruitland formation (Bauer 1916, Fruitland, N. M.).

Kirtland shale (Bauer 1916, Kirtland, N. M.)

Ojo Alamo sandstone (Brown 1910, Ojo Alamo Arroyo).

The Ojo Alamo sandstone may be Paleocene, along with the following
Nacimiento group:

Puerco formation (Cope 1875, Rio Puerco of the East).

Torrejon formation (Wortman 1897, Torrejon [Torreones]
Arroyo).

The Chaco drainage area is within the New Mexican counties of
San Juan (formerly part of Rio Arriba), McKinley (formerly part of
Valencia), Rio Arriba, and Sandoval (once part of Bernalillo). This
area was, in Spanish times, termed the Provincia de Nabajoó. The
Pueblo Bonito, Pueblo Alto (Pueblo Pintado), Kinnebeto, Lake Valley,
and Stony Butte Navajo Chapters operate within the Chaco Canyon
portion of the Eastern Navajo Jurisdiction.[49]