Donald H. Wiese Company survey records
Collection
Identifier: Ms-0463
Scope and Content
The Donald H. Wiese Company records consist of seven (7) series of survey files and photographs. These series are generally arranged by geographical designation, according to the Wiese Company filing scheme. The series include: Outlying areas; Township/Section/Range location (as defined by the New Mexico Principal Meridian), United States Reclamation Service (USRS) survey number, subdivision name. There are also Las Cruces-specific records of the Original Townsite and the Urban Renewal Program. Survey records within all series are working files, which represent a particular parcel of land surveyed. Each of these working files consist of several different kinds of documents, including copies of field notes, deed and title information, maps, photostatic copies, plats, plat maps, blueprints, legal descriptions of land, past survey measurements, and other similar papers. The survey records also include materials from the Mather, Wiese and Gardiner Company, the successor to the Donald H. Wiese Company.
In the Outlying Area Surveys series, survey files are listed by subdivision, township/section/range designation, or U.S. Reclamation Service survey number. These also contain information regarding property owners within the folder title.
In the Township/Section/Range surveys series, the survey files correspond to the United States Public Land Survey System (USPLSS) method of parceling land units. Townships are 36 square mile sections, in a 6-by-6 section parcel arrangement, or matrix. These units of land measurement are numbered from east to west, and west to east. They are numbered north or south of a base line measurement. The principal basis for numbering townships in New Mexico is the New Mexico Principal Meridian (NMPM), a north-south measurement that divides the state in approximate halves. Numbering of sections was notated from south to north, alternating to north to south listing after each vertical 6 square miles, which included 640 acres per section. Ranges are categorized as columns of townships. These are numbered east or west of the NMPM. Previously managed by the General Land Office, the Bureau of Land Management has been responsible for surveys on public land since 1946.
The original filing system listed surveys numerically among the Township/Section/Range surveys, but separated surveys from east and west ranges. The original order listed the west located surveys first, followed by those in the east range within a township. These were also distinguished by a color-coding system within the files
The United States Reclamation Service (USRS) surveys comprise another set of surveys within the Wiese Company records. The USRS was established within the U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) in July of 1902. The new Reclamation Service studied potential water development projects in each western state with Federal lands. From this organization, surveys were completed as part of the mission of the USRS in reclaiming arid lands in the western United States. USRS surveys are numbered according to the property map and service tract numbers; the corresponding survey number is hyphenated to determine the parcel of land being surveyed. All lands being surveyed are within the Elephant Butte Irrigation District (EBID). Property maps are arranged by alphabetical letter or number, depending on their location Areas surveyed below the Leasburg Dam are assigned numbers to correspond with a specific survey area; areas surveyed north of Leasburg Dam north to the Caballo Dam in Sierra County are assigned alphabetical tracts ranging from “A” to “M”.
The Original Townsite and Urban Renewal series are location-based survey files. The town of Las Cruces was originally platted in 1848. United States Army Lt. Delos Bennett Sackett, using rawhide rope and stakes, plotted out 84 city blocks to form the first plat that became Las Cruces, New Mexico. These records relate directly to this tract of land.
The Las Cruces Urban Renewal Program started in the 1960s as an effort to shore up what were perceived by some city dwellers as substandard housing and decaying business districts. The Urban Renewal program’s highest profile program involved closing Main Street in downtown Las Cruces and converting it into a pedestrian mall, while re-engineering adjacent city streets to accommodate automobile traffic and local parking. Other established neighborhoods also were involved with the Urban Renewal programs. While initially lauded in the 1970s, the Urban Renewal project was later ridiculed for ruining local neighborhoods and destroying historically significant structures, most notably the St. Genevieve’s Church. At this writing in 2006, the issue is still being debated by local politicians and the citizenry.
With subdivisions, in the state of New Mexico, any person “who desires to subdivide land shall furnish a plat of the proposed subdivision, prepared by a registered, licensed surveyor of New Mexico.” Hence, the Wiese records contain surveys of subdivisions made in and around the city of Las Cruces.
Within these working records, there are several land description documents that precede the company’s existence. Many of these are copied documents from outside sources, such as the Doña Ana County Clerk’s office. The range of dates listed may include items copied, though that document is often not the original document in question.
Oversize documents within the working files have been removed and placed in map folders and oversized boxes. Where those oversized documents have been pulled and placed in other containers, a notice has been placed in the respective folder. Some maps in fragile condition will also require assistance from the archivist on duty.
In the Outlying Area Surveys series, survey files are listed by subdivision, township/section/range designation, or U.S. Reclamation Service survey number. These also contain information regarding property owners within the folder title.
In the Township/Section/Range surveys series, the survey files correspond to the United States Public Land Survey System (USPLSS) method of parceling land units. Townships are 36 square mile sections, in a 6-by-6 section parcel arrangement, or matrix. These units of land measurement are numbered from east to west, and west to east. They are numbered north or south of a base line measurement. The principal basis for numbering townships in New Mexico is the New Mexico Principal Meridian (NMPM), a north-south measurement that divides the state in approximate halves. Numbering of sections was notated from south to north, alternating to north to south listing after each vertical 6 square miles, which included 640 acres per section. Ranges are categorized as columns of townships. These are numbered east or west of the NMPM. Previously managed by the General Land Office, the Bureau of Land Management has been responsible for surveys on public land since 1946.
The original filing system listed surveys numerically among the Township/Section/Range surveys, but separated surveys from east and west ranges. The original order listed the west located surveys first, followed by those in the east range within a township. These were also distinguished by a color-coding system within the files
The United States Reclamation Service (USRS) surveys comprise another set of surveys within the Wiese Company records. The USRS was established within the U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) in July of 1902. The new Reclamation Service studied potential water development projects in each western state with Federal lands. From this organization, surveys were completed as part of the mission of the USRS in reclaiming arid lands in the western United States. USRS surveys are numbered according to the property map and service tract numbers; the corresponding survey number is hyphenated to determine the parcel of land being surveyed. All lands being surveyed are within the Elephant Butte Irrigation District (EBID). Property maps are arranged by alphabetical letter or number, depending on their location Areas surveyed below the Leasburg Dam are assigned numbers to correspond with a specific survey area; areas surveyed north of Leasburg Dam north to the Caballo Dam in Sierra County are assigned alphabetical tracts ranging from “A” to “M”.
The Original Townsite and Urban Renewal series are location-based survey files. The town of Las Cruces was originally platted in 1848. United States Army Lt. Delos Bennett Sackett, using rawhide rope and stakes, plotted out 84 city blocks to form the first plat that became Las Cruces, New Mexico. These records relate directly to this tract of land.
The Las Cruces Urban Renewal Program started in the 1960s as an effort to shore up what were perceived by some city dwellers as substandard housing and decaying business districts. The Urban Renewal program’s highest profile program involved closing Main Street in downtown Las Cruces and converting it into a pedestrian mall, while re-engineering adjacent city streets to accommodate automobile traffic and local parking. Other established neighborhoods also were involved with the Urban Renewal programs. While initially lauded in the 1970s, the Urban Renewal project was later ridiculed for ruining local neighborhoods and destroying historically significant structures, most notably the St. Genevieve’s Church. At this writing in 2006, the issue is still being debated by local politicians and the citizenry.
With subdivisions, in the state of New Mexico, any person “who desires to subdivide land shall furnish a plat of the proposed subdivision, prepared by a registered, licensed surveyor of New Mexico.” Hence, the Wiese records contain surveys of subdivisions made in and around the city of Las Cruces.
Within these working records, there are several land description documents that precede the company’s existence. Many of these are copied documents from outside sources, such as the Doña Ana County Clerk’s office. The range of dates listed may include items copied, though that document is often not the original document in question.
Oversize documents within the working files have been removed and placed in map folders and oversized boxes. Where those oversized documents have been pulled and placed in other containers, a notice has been placed in the respective folder. Some maps in fragile condition will also require assistance from the archivist on duty.
Dates
- 1853-1996
Language of Materials
English
Access Restrictions
Open. All materials in this collection are available for research under supervised conditions in the Research Room.
Copy Restrictions
Copyrights associated with materials in this collection have not been transferred to New Mexico State University.
Organizational Sketch
Donald H. Wiese was born in Seattle, Washington on April 30, 1914. The Wiese family moved to Deming, New Mexico in 1916 and later moved to Utah, but settled back in Deming for good in 1920. Mr. Wiese graduated from Deming High School in 1931, and was admitted to the New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts (now New Mexico State University). He graduated from the college with a B.S. in Civil Engineering in 1935, also with an ROTC commission as a 2d lieutenant in the U.S. Army.
Wiese worked after graduation as City Engineer and County Surveyor in Hot Springs (now Truth or Consequences), New Mexico until 1941. He served in World War II and the Korean War, earning a promotion to Lieutenant Colonel. Wiese earned the Army Commendation Ribbon with medal for his service in Korea, and also continued to serve as an Army Reservist after his time in combat.
After World War II, Wiese founded the Wiese Surveying and Mapping Company in Las Cruces, New Mexico. During the time he managed this business, the company was responsible for designing new subdivisions in and around the greater Las Cruces area. Fueled by military growth during the Cold War at White Sands Proving Ground (later White Sands Missile Range) and other local institutions such as New Mexico State University and the Physical Science Laboratory, the population of Las Cruces grew from approximately 5,000 to 50,000 people in the period when Wiese operated the surveying company. Later, the Wiese Company absorbed other local surveying concerns, and operated as Mather, Wiese and Gardiner, Inc.
After retiring from the surveying business, Mr. Wiese remained active on the Board of Registration for Engineers and Land Surveyors through 1983, and served as Doña ana County Flood Commissioner from 1985 until 1998.
Donald Wiese died July 15, 1998.
Wiese worked after graduation as City Engineer and County Surveyor in Hot Springs (now Truth or Consequences), New Mexico until 1941. He served in World War II and the Korean War, earning a promotion to Lieutenant Colonel. Wiese earned the Army Commendation Ribbon with medal for his service in Korea, and also continued to serve as an Army Reservist after his time in combat.
After World War II, Wiese founded the Wiese Surveying and Mapping Company in Las Cruces, New Mexico. During the time he managed this business, the company was responsible for designing new subdivisions in and around the greater Las Cruces area. Fueled by military growth during the Cold War at White Sands Proving Ground (later White Sands Missile Range) and other local institutions such as New Mexico State University and the Physical Science Laboratory, the population of Las Cruces grew from approximately 5,000 to 50,000 people in the period when Wiese operated the surveying company. Later, the Wiese Company absorbed other local surveying concerns, and operated as Mather, Wiese and Gardiner, Inc.
After retiring from the surveying business, Mr. Wiese remained active on the Board of Registration for Engineers and Land Surveyors through 1983, and served as Doña ana County Flood Commissioner from 1985 until 1998.
Donald Wiese died July 15, 1998.
Extent
86.50 linear feet, approximately
Abstract
Donald H. Wiese was a civil engineer who graduated from New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts (NMCA&MA) in 1935. He owned and operated a surveying company based in Las Cruces, New Mexico, from 1946 through the time of his retirement in 1978.
Processing Information
Processed by William B. Boehm, assisted by Allison Galey, Sean Barham, Jackie Duncan, Mary Joiner, Kris Laumbach, Cecelia Romero and Brittney East August 2005-2007
- Title
- Guide to the Donald H. Wiese Company survey records, 1853-1996
- Status
- Edited Full Draft
- Author
- Processed by Bill Boehm, Allison Galey, Sean Barham, Jackie Duncan, Mary Joiner, Kris Laumbach, Cecelia Romero, and Brittney East, August 2005-2007.
- Date
- © 2016
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is in English
Repository Details
Part of the New Mexico State University Library Archives and Special Collections Repository